# Accident 20200229003769A: Piper PA-18, Santa Barbara, CA, February 29, 2020

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 29, 2020, 10:00 local time
- Place: Santa Barbara, CA
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 34.5747° N, 119.6086° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.5747&lon=-119.6086&mi=10
- Aircraft: N1890A, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N1890A) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-18 (registry code 7101802, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-18) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-235 series (registry code 41505, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-235-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-18
- Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-235 SERIES
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 1,400 total, 700 in this make and model, 30 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR20CA105](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR20CA105) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200229003769A

## Narrative

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

ON FEBRUARY 29, 2020, N1890A S/N 18-1723 A PIPER PA-18 SUPER CUB WAS ON A FLIGHT FROM SANTA YNEZ AIRPORT, IN CALIFORNIA TO OGILVY RANCH IN SANTA BARBARA, CALIFORNIA.  THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDED FOR LANDING ON THE DIRT STRIP IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN AND EXPERIENCED GUSTY WIND CONDITIONS AND DOWNDRAFTS.  SLOW AIRSPEED ON APPROACH ALONG WITH THE WIND CONDITIONS CAUSED A HIGHER THAN NORMAL DESCENT RATE AND THE AIRCRAFT LANDED HARD AND OFF THE RUNWAY ON A STEEPER PART OF TERRAIN.  THE AIRCRAFT THEN 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 WPR20CA105](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR20CA105), Feb 29, 2020: Piper PA 18 (N1890A), Santa Barbara, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed during the approach, which resulted in a rapid descent rate, hard landing, and nose-over.

## Other reports on N1890A (1)

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

- [Incident 20080616835059I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20080616835059I), Jun 16, 2008: Piper PA18 (N1890A), Big Creek, ID, Minor damage. (-23) During landing at the Dewey Moore, ID airstrip, the main gear collapsed, causing the propeller to strike the ground.

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.