# Accident 20010329005589A: Piper PA18150, Grand Junction, CO, March 29, 2001

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 29, 2001, 15:56 local time
- Place: Grand Junction, CO
- Airport: Walker Field
- Damage: No damage
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 39.0793° N, 108.5497° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.0793&lon=-108.5497&mi=10
- Aircraft: N9464D, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N9464D) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-18-150 (registry code 7101828, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-18-150) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA18150
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Student
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB DEN01LA078](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN01LA078) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010329005589A

## Narrative

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

(.19) ON MARCH 29, 2001, AT 1556 MST, A PIPER PA-18-150, N9464D, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHEN IT PERFORMED A GROUND LOOP AND EXITED THE SIDE OF THE RUNWAY DURING TAKEOFF ROLL AT WALKER FIELD, GRAND JUNCTION, CO. THE STUDENT PILOT AND SOLE OCCUPANT RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. THE FLIGHT WAS A LOCAL AREA STUDENT SOLO INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT OPERATING UNDER TITLE 14 CFR PART 91 AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED. ACCORDING TO PRELIMINARY INFORMATION, THE TAKEOFF WAS BEING MADE ON RUNWAY 11 AND THE WIND WAS FROM 020 DEGREES MAGNETIC HEADING AT 13 KNOTS. THE A/C GROUND LOOPED AND WENT OFF THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. THE RIGHT WING AND RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR SEPARATED FROM THE A/C. (-23)THE PILOT STATES HE OBTAINED A WEATHER BRIEFING INCLUDING INFORMATION ABOUT THE RIFLE, CO. AREA, WHICH WAS HIS DESTINATION. DENVER AFSS HAS NO RECORD OF THE PILOT CALLING AT ALL. A METAR FOR GRAND JUNCTION, CO. ISSUED AT 15:56 SHOWS THE SINDS TO BE BLOWING FROM 020 DEGREES AT 15 KNOTS. THAT WOULD MAKE IT A 90 DEGREE CROSSWIND AT 15 KNOTS. THE UPWIND WING REACTED ADVERSELY ONCE THE A/C BECAME AIRBORNE. THE A/C THEN STRUCK THE GROUND                                   WITH THE DOWNWIND WHEEL HITTING FIRST. ONCE THAT WHEEL SLAMMED INTO THE GROUND, THE A/C MADE A 180 TURN AND THE LANDING GEAR SHEARED OFF. THE WING TIPSTRUCK THE GROUND AND WAS DAMAGED. THE FUSELAGE WAS ALSO BENT IN THIS PROCESS. THE A/C RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE AND THE PILOT RECEIVED SOME MINOR CUTS AND BRUISES.

## 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 DEN01LA078](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN01LA078), Mar 29, 2001: Piper PA-18-150 (N9464D), Grand Junction, CO, substantial damage. Probable cause: Failure by the pilot to maintain directional control during takeoff roll. A factor was a crosswind.

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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