# Accident 20230322006839A: Piper PA-18AS-125, Umatilla, FL, March 22, 2023 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: March 22, 2023, 15:30 local time - Place: Umatilla, FL - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 28.0264° N, 81.9098° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=28.0264&lon=-81.9098&mi=10 - Aircraft: N1907A, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N1907A) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Piper PA-18AS-125 (registry code 7101816, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-18as-125) (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-18AS-125 - Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-290 SERIES - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Other injuries: 0 - Pilot certificates: Private pilot - Pilot flight hours: 990 total - NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA23LA179](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA23LA179) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230322006839A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. THE PILOT OF A PA-18AS-125 WAS ON A NORMAL RECREATIONAL FLIGHT IN AND AROUND THE UMATILLA, FL AREA. THE AIRCRAFT IS EQUIPPED FOR BOTH WATER AND RUNWAY LANDINGS. WITH THAT, THE PILOT STATED HE FLEW FROM HIS HOME BASE TO UMATILLA AIRPORT (X23) FOR FUEL. WHILE FUELING HE OBSERVED A SMALL HYDRAULIC LEAK NEAR THE GEAR AREA, HOWEVER, COULD NOT SUBSTANTIATE ITS WHEREABOUTS AND THE AMOUNT NOT ALARMING. WITH CHECKS PERFORMED NO DEFECTS WERE NOTED. THEREFORE, HE DEPARTED AND WAS RETURNING TO HIS HOME AT CRESCENT LAKE, FL WHEN UPON SLOWING THE AIRCRAFT FOR TOUCHDOWN AND CONTACTING THE WATER, THE AIRCRAFT NOSED OVER AND WENT INVERTED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS REMOVED WITH NO DAMAGE TO PROPERTY OR THE WATERWAY. THE AIRCRAFT WAS BROUGHT TO THE HANGAR AND PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION HAD SHOWN THAT THE RIGHT EXTENDABLE GEAR LEG DID NOT RETRACT. THE PILOT STATED HE DID NOT NOTICE ANY ABNORMAL FLIGHT CHARACTERISTICS OR DRAG DURING HIS RETURN AND MAY NOT HAVE HAD A GOOD INDICATION OF THE POSITION. THE WHIPAIRE 2100A FLOAT SYSTEM INSTALLED WAS RECENTLY INSPECTED DURING THE ANNUAL ON 11/24/2022 WITH NO DEFECTS NOTED. THE DESIGN IS FOR THE LEG TO PULL BACK AND INTO THE FLOAT ASSEMBLY WITH ASSIST FROM ELECTRO POWERED MAGNETIC SWITCHES. UPON FURTHER EXAMINATION OF THE PUMP, IT HAD SHOWN AN AREA CONTAINING AN ABRASION HOWEVER IS BELIEVED TO BE FROM A WOBBLE EFFECT. HOWEVER, WHEN LOOKING AT THE SEALING SURFACE OR, TOP SEAL AND WITH THE POTENTIAL WOBBLE MAY HAVE DISTORTED THE SEAL ALLOWING FLUID LEAKAGE DURING ACTIVATION. THERE IS NO APPARENT REASON AS TO WHY THE SEAL STARTED TO LEAK AND COULD BE DUE TO INACTIVITY OR THE WEARING OF THE SEALING SURFACES WHILE ACTIVATING THE HAND PUMP. THE PUMP ITSELF PROVIDES 700 PSI TO CYCLE THE GEAR AND HAS A RELIEF VALVE FOR OVERPRESSURE SITUATIONS. BUT AS THE PLACARD STATES YOU CAN DAMAGE THE PUMP BY EXERTING TOO MUCH PRESSURE ON THE SYSTEM AND WAS SAID NOT TO BE THE CASE. WITH FURTHER EXAMINATION FOUND THE O-RING DETERIORATED AND CUT, THESE THINGS WOULD NOT BE SEEN DURING NORMAL INSPECTION. THE FLUID LEVEL WAS SATISFACTORY. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT-WING STRUTS AND BRACES, BUT NO DAMAGE WAS NOTED TO THE INBOARD MOUNTING SURFACES AND OR ATTACH POINTS AND DID SHOW ANY SIGNS OF FLEXING. HOWEVER FURTHER INSPECTION OF BOTH WINGS AND THEIR STRUCTURE MUST BE DETERMINED. THE WING FABRIC COVERING SUSTAINED SIGNIFICANT WATER DAMAGE WITH ASSOCIATED WRINKLING, AND THE WING BRACES WERE PUSHED UP AND INTO THE SURFACE COVERING. THE NOSE COWLING SUSTAINED SOME BUCKLING NEAR AND AROUND THE PROPELLER HUB, AND THE UNDERSIDE OF THE ENGINE COWLING ALSO BUCKLED. THE ENGINE AND MOUNTS APPEARED FINE. MOST GAUGES SUSTAINED WATER DAMAGE AND SERVICEABILITY WILL BE DETERMINED. THE FLIGHT CONTROL SURFACES WERE INTACT AND NO DAMAGE TO THE FLOATS AND THE LEFT LEG OPERATED NORMALLY AND WAS RETRACTED. THE PILOT WITHOUT INDICATION COULD NOT CLEARLY SEE WHETHER THE GEAR WAS RETRACTED OR EXTENDED OTHER THAN AN INDICATION WHETHER INDICATED OR HAVING A POSITION ERROR. IT IS THIS INSPECTOR’S OPINION THAT THE HAND PUMP DESIGNED TO LOWER AND LIFT THE GEAR LEGS FROM THE FLOATS BECAME INTERMITTENT WITHOUT THE PILOT HAVING A PROPER INDICATION OR OTHERWISE THEREFORE, FAILED AND NO FURTHER ACTION IS REQUIRED OF THE PILOT. ## 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 ERA23LA179](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA23LA179), Mar 22, 2023: Piper PA-18AS-125 (N1907A), Lakeland, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to ensure that the landing gear was properly configured for a water landing. ## Other reports on N1907A (2) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Incident 20090501047009I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20090501047009I), May 1, 2009: Piper PA-18AS-125 (N1907A), Fairbanks, AK, Minor damage. Pilot stated that prior to takeoff roll he held brakes and added power to lift the tailwheel off the ground in an attempt to practice a short field takeoff.… - [Accident 20050906022439A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20050906022439A), Sep 6, 2005: Piper PA18AS125 (N1907A), Fairbanks, AK, Substantial damage. (-23) The pilot [privacy data omitted] was operating N1907A, a PA-18A-125, in the japan hills area on an unimproved airstrip, he estimated 400 ft long and it… 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.