# Accident 20140406003519A: Piper PA-18-150, Bethel, ME, April 6, 2014

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 6, 2014, 12:30 local time
- Place: Bethel, ME
- Airport: Bethel Regional
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Taxi
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 44.4253° N, 70.8100° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=44.4253&lon=-70.8100&mi=10
- Aircraft: N74843, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N74843) (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 PA-18-150
- Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 1
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 4,202 total, 2,500 in this make and model, 12 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA14CA188](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA14CA188) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20140406003519A

## Narrative

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

PILOT IN COMMAND DEPARTED THE HAMPTON AIRFIELD (7B3) IN NORTH HAMPTON, NH, WITH A DESTINATION OF THE BETHEL REGIONAL AIRPORT (0B1) IN BETHEL, MAINE ON 04-06-2014, PILOT IN COMMAND WAS AT THE CONTROLS OF N74843 A 1955 PIPER PA-18-150 SUPER CUB (CONVENTIONAL GEAR SINGLE ENGINE AIRPLANE).  PILOT IN COMMAND WAS TO PERFORM A BANNER TOW FOR A CLIENT, PILOT ARRIVED AT 0B1 AT APPROXIMATELY 10:10 AM, AT APPROXIMATELY 11:37, AFTER SETTING UP THE BANNER, PIC DEPARTED RUNWAY 32 CAME AROUND THE TRAFFIC PATTERN FOR RUNWAY 32 AND THEN DEPARTED WITH THE BANNER TO THE AREA OF ELLIS POND NORTHEAST OF 0B1, AFTER MAKING PASSES WITH THE BANNER PILOT RETURN TO 0B1 AND DROPPED THE BANNER ON THE SNOW ON THE SIDE OF RUNWAY 32, THE WINSOCK WAS STILL SHOWING A LEFT QUARTERING HEADWIND, PILOT STATED THAT THE WINDS HAD BEEN GUSTY ALL DAY (CONFIRMED BY DATA FROM THE AWOS), PILOT IN COMMAND STATED THAT HE LANDED ON THE 1ST 1/3 OF  RUNWAY 32, HE SLOWED TO A STOP AND AJUSTED THE TRIM TO ABOUT NEUTRAL AND STARTED A 180 DEGREE TURN TO THE LEFT TO BACK-TAXI TO EXIT THE RUNWAY, AS HE TURNED HE STATED THAT HE PUSHED THE CONTROL STICK FORWARD TO KEEP THE TAIL DOWN IN THE NOW OCCURRING TAIL WIND, HE STATED THAT WHEN HE WAS ABOUT 3/4 OF THE WAY AROUND, A GUST LIFTED THE TAIL, HE WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE THE LIFTING ACTION OF THE TAIL DO TO THE GUSTING TAIL WIND THE GUSTING WIND NOSED THE PLANE UP AND OVER ON IT'S BACK.  THE AWOS REPORT FOR BETHEL AT 12:30 WHICH WAS THE ESTIMATE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WAS 320 AT 14 KNOTS, GUSTING TO 24 KNOTS.

## 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 ERA14CA188](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA14CA188), Apr 6, 2014: Piper PA 18-150 (N74843), Bethel, ME, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane while taxiing after landing during gusty wind conditions.

## Other reports on N74843 (1)

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

- [Incident 19891224065392I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19891224065392I), Dec 24, 1989: Piper PA18150 (N74843), Miami, FL, Minor damage. Engine problem. Aborted. Told glider to abort left. Glider overran two plane hitting it with its wing.

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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