20070111000269A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA-18-135 · Maricopa, AZ · January 11, 2007

Date
January 11, 2007 · 11:45 local
Place
Maricopa, AZ
Airport
U Of Maricopa Ag Center Airport
Phase of flight
Roll-Out (Fixed Wing)
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N518GM
Reported as
Piper PA18135
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
1,107 total630 in this make and model65 in the last 90 days

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) On January 11, 2007, at approximately 1145 MST, N518GM, a Piper PA-18-135, with the pilot privacy data omitted performing as pilot-in-command, ground looped while attempting to land at the university of Arizona ag strip (3AZ2). The pilot privacy data omitted states that the aircraft has balloon tires and boosted brakes which may have contributed to the ground loop. The pilot privacy data omitted states that there were no adverse environmental conditions. The pilot privacy data omitted states that the approach and initial touchdown were normal, but that as he applied brakes the aircraft started to go over on its nose. The pilot privacy data omitted states that he believed the aircraft would remain upright, however, at the last moment, the aircraft continued over on its back. Neither of the two occupants received injuries. The aircraft sustained substantial damage. The aircraft sustained damage to the prop, vertical fin, top of the wings, and right wing strut.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON JANUARY 11, 2007, AT APPROXIMATELY 1145 MST, N518GM, A PIPER PA-18-135, WITH THE PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ PERFORMING AS PILOT-IN-COMMAND, GROUND LOOPED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO LAND AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA AG STRIP (3AZ2). THE PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA^ STATES THAT THE AIRCRAFT HAS BALLOON TIRES AND BOOSTED BRAKES WHICH MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE GROUND LOOP. THE PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA^ STATES THAT THERE WERE NO ADVERSE ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS. THE PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA^ STATES THAT THE APPROACH AND INITIAL TOUCHDOWN WERE NORMAL, BUT THAT AS HE APPLIED BRAKES THE AIRCRAFT STARTED TO GO OVER ON ITS NOSE. THE PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA^ STATES THAT HE BELIEVED THE AIRCRAFT WOULD REMAIN UPRIGHT, HOWEVER, AT THE LAST MOMENT, THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED OVER ON ITS BACK. NEITHER OF THE TWO OCCUPANTS RECEIVED INJURIES. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED DAMAGE TO THE PROP, VERTICAL FIN, TOP OF THE WINGS, AND RIGHT WING STRUT.