# Accident 20210210016159A: Piper PA-18, Lake Placid, FL, February 10, 2021

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 10, 2021, 18:50 local time
- Place: Lake Placid, FL
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 27.2450° N, 81.4140° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=27.2450&lon=-81.4140&mi=10
- Aircraft: N8183C, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N8183C) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-18 (registry code 7101802, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-18) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-290 series (registry code 41506, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-290-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-18
- Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-290 SERIES
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 1
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 96 total, 28 in this make and model, 28 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA21LA131](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA21LA131) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20210210016159A

## Narrative

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

PILOT STATEMENT: DEPARTED 09FA ON RUNWAY 18 ON 2/10/21 AT 17:45 EST TO THE SOUTH AFTER PERFORMING PRE-FLIGHT AND RUNUP WITH NOTHING ABNORMAL NOTICED. PERFORMED A LOCAL FLIGHT IN THE AREA ~15 MILES SOUTH OF THE AIRPORT AND RETURNED TO THE AIRPORT VICINITY AT ~18:15 EST.  PERFORMED 2 SUCCESSFUL STOP AND GOES ON RUNWAY 18.  AFTER THE SECOND STOP AND GO DEPARTED TO SOUTH OF THE AIRPORT AND PERFORMED A 180 DEGREE TURN, ENTERED FINAL FOR RUNWAY 36, AND REDUCED POWER TO IDLE.  PERFORMED A FORWARD SLIP ON FINAL TO INCREASE RATE OF DECENT DUE TO BEING TOO HIGH.  EXITED FORWARD SLIP AND MADE TRANSITION TO TYPICAL APPROACH SPEED AND ATTITUDE.  UPON ATTEMPTING TO DECREASE AIRSPEED BEFORE LANDING PILOT NOTICED THE FLIGHT CONTROL STICK WOULD NOT MOVE IN THE REARWARD DIRECTION. SIDE TO SIDE AND FORWARD MOVEMENT OF THE CONTROL STICK FELT ABNORMAL BUT WAS NOT RESTRICTED.  ATTEMPTED TO INCREASE POWER TO INCREASE ALTITUDE & SLOW RATE OF DECENT.  ABNORMALLY HIGH SPEED AND RATE OF DECENT RESULTING IN A HARD LANDING. LANDING GEAR FAILED AND PROP/NOSE OF THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE GROUND WHICH RESULTED IN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT.  PILOT EXITED THE AIRPLANE THROUGH THE RIGHT SIDE DOOR/WINDOW WHICH IS TYPICALLY USED FOR EXITING THE AIRCRAFT.

## 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 ERA21LA131](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA21LA131), Feb 10, 2021: Piper PA-18 (N8183C), Lake Placid, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to ensure that the aft seat cushion was adequately secured, which resulted in its movement, subsequent interference with the flight controls, and a hard landing.

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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