# Accident 19990509004909A: Piper L21B, Vincennes, IN, May 9, 1999

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 9, 1999, 19:40 local time
- Place: Vincennes, IN
- Airport: O'Neal Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Roll-Out (Fixed Wing)
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 38.6697° N, 87.5098° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.6697&lon=-87.5098&mi=10
- Aircraft: N3VU, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N3VU) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper L-21B (registry code 7101815, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-l-21b) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-290 series (registry code 41506, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-290-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER L21B
- Reported engine: LYC O290D2
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI99LA146](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI99LA146) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990509004909A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

ACFT LOST CONTROL AFTER LANDING, RAN OFF THE RWY, WENT INTO A WHEAT FIELD, AND CAME TO REST INVERTED, OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES ARE UNKNOWN. (FROM .19)  ON MAY 9, 1999, AT 1940 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME (CDT), A PIPER PA-18-L21B, N3VU, OPERATED BY A PRIVATE PILOT, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHEN ON LANDING, THE AIRPLANE VEERED RIGHT, OFF OF THE RUNWAY, AND NOSED OVER.  VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.  THE PERSONAL FLIGHT WAS BEING CONDUCTED UNDER 14 CFR PART 91.  NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS ON FILE.  THE PILOT REPORTED NO INJURIES.  THE LOCAL FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT THE O'NEAL AIRPORT, VINCENNES, INDIANA.  THE PILOT TOLD A FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION (FAA) INSPECTOR THAT WHILE LANDING ON RUNWAY 21 (1,700 X 100) AT THE O'NEAL AIRPORT, HE LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE.  THE AIRPLANE VEERED TO THE RIGHT AND DEPARTED THE RUNWAY INTO A WHEAT FIELD.  THE PILOT TOLD THE FAA INSPECTOR THAT THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST INVERTED.  THE PILOT DESCRIBED THE WEATHER, AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, AS CLEAR AND NO WIND.           (-23)THE PILOT STATED THAT HE LANDED APPROXIMATELY HALF WAY DOWN THE 3500 FOOT SOD RUNWAY.  AFTER TOUCHING DOWN ON THE MAIN WHEELS THE AIRPLANE PASSED  THROUGH A SOFT SPOT IN THE RUNWAY CAUSING THE AIRPLANE TO VEER SLIGHTLY TO THE RIGHT. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO CORRECT HE COULD NOT GET HIS HEELS ON THE BRAKES AND WAS CONCERNED ABOUT A GROUP OF PEOPLE STANDING AT THE END OF RUNWAY.  HE WAS GOING TO CUT THROUGH THE END OF THE WHEAT FIELD AND STOP ON AN INTERSECTING RUNWAY.  ONCE THE WHEELS ENTERED THE WHEAT THE AIRPLANE RAPIDLY SLOWED AND FLIPPED OVER ONTO ITS BACK.  THE SPEED WAS 10 MILES PER HOUR OR LESS WHEN HE FLIPPED OVER.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB CHI99LA146](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI99LA146), May 10, 1999: Piper PA-18-L21B (N3VU), Vincennes, IN, substantial damage. Probable cause: the pilot's failure to maintain directional control after landing. Factors which contributed to this accident were the pilot's long touchdown, the rough area on the runway, and the wheat field.

## Other reports on N3VU (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Accident 19790324005119A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19790324005119A), Mar 24, 1979: Piper PA18 (N3VU), Spencer, IN, Substantial damage. Pilot made a precautionary landing due to low ceiling and visibility. Hit a soft spot and flipped over.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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