20260304001629A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA-18-150 · Sonora, TX · March 4, 2026

Date
March 4, 2026 · 14:00 local
Place
Sonora, TX
Airport
Sonora Municipal
Phase of flight
Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N3695Z
NTSB investigation
NTSBCEN26LA134
Reported as
Piper PA-18-150
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificate
Airline transport
Pilot’s flight hours
8,833 total84 in this make and model34 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.

Pilot stated he was departing ksoa and excuted a practice short field take-off.

Pilot stated he flew slower than typical rate of rotation.

Pilot stated he attempted to hold pitch to avoid stall/spin. During climbout the aircraft drifted left and then descended and the wings level to the left of the runway.

Pilot stated the landing was hard and aircraft rolled right after touchdown.

As the FAA filed it

PILOT STATED HE WAS DEPARTING KSOA AND EXCUTED A PRACTICE SHORT FIELD TAKE-OFF.

PILOT STATED HE FLEW SLOWER THAN TYPICAL RATE OF ROTATION.

PILOT STATED HE ATTEMPTED TO HOLD PITCH TO AVOID STALL/SPIN. DURING CLIMBOUT THE AIRCRAFT DRIFTED LEFT AND THEN DESCENDED AND THE WINGS LEVEL TO THE LEFT OF THE RUNWAY.

PILOT STATED THE LANDING WAS HARD AND AIRCRAFT ROLLED RIGHT AFTER TOUCHDOWN.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.