# NTSB investigations: Piper PA-18: Loss of control in flight

NTSB aviation accident and incident investigations since 1962: the probable cause, findings, aircraft, crew, weather and docket of each, linked to the FAA registry and the FAA’s own reports.

## Latest cases

- [NTSB CEN25LA188](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25LA188.md): Piper PA-18 · Vega, TX · Accident · Minor injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · May 26, 2025 · N7175D · Substantial damage
  > The airplane’s inadvertent encounter with a localized low boundary layer, which caused a wind shift, and a gusting tailwind during final approach, that resulted in the pilot deciding to impact a wind cone and a subsequent impact with terrain. Contributing was…
- [NTSB ANC21LA075](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC21LA075.md): Piper PA-18 · Talkeetna, AK · Accident · Minor injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Aug 10, 2021 · N1264A · Substantial damage
  > The malfunction of the control stick during initial climb for reasons that could not be determined based on available evidence.
- [NTSB CEN20LA150](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN20LA150.md): Piper PA 18 · Bowie, TX · Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Apr 19, 2020 · N3670P · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane during takeoff in gusting wind conditions, which resulted in an uncontrolled turn and descent into terrain.
- [NTSB CEN19CA062](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN19CA062.md): Piper PA 18 · Iron Mountain, MI · Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report · Jan 19, 2019 · N3298Z · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's distraction and subsequent loss of situational awareness and visual horizon in overcast sky conditions, which led to an unrecognized descent during a low-level maneuver and subsequent impact with snow-covered terrain.
- [NTSB CEN11LA328](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN11LA328.md): Piper PA-18 · Fredenberg Township, MN · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · May 7, 2011 · N195T · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's inadequate directional control during a crosswind landing.
- [NTSB ANC10LA011](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC10LA011.md): Piper PA-18 · Willow, AK · Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Dec 31, 2009 · N146T · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to ensure that the airplane’s fuel selector valve was on before takeoff, resulting in a loss of engine power due to fuel starvation, and his subsequent decision to attempt a low altitude turn towards the departure airport, resulting in an…
- [NTSB ANC08LA122](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC08LA122.md): Piper PA-18 · Talkeetna, AK · Accident · 1 fatal · Limited investigation · Final report · Sep 11, 2008 · N7174K · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain sufficient airspeed to preclude a stall while maneuvering at a low altitude, resulting in an uncontrolled descent and collision with terrain.
- [NTSB ANC08FA072](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC08FA072.md): Piper PA-18 · Quinhagak, AK · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Jun 7, 2008 · N897SP · Destroyed
  > The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed while maneuvering at a low altitude in high winds, resulting in an aerodynamic stall and uncontrolled descent to the ground. Contributing to the accident were the high winds.

## The whole list in SQL

Runs in DuckDB 1.2 or later on the release's Parquet files over HTTPS:

```sql
SELECT c."ntsbNumber", c."eventDate", c."eventType", c."eventCity", c."eventStateOrRegion", a.n_number, a."aircraftMake", a."aircraftModel", c."highestInjuryLevel", c."totalFatal", c."completionStatus", c.report_url
FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_case_detail.parquet' c LEFT JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' a ON a.case_mkey = c."mKey" AND a.position = 1
WHERE c."mKey" IN (SELECT x.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' x WHERE x.aircraft_model_code IN ('7101802')
    AND EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' s WHERE s.case_mkey = x.case_mkey AND s.aircrafts_position = x.position AND s."tier2Number" = '240' AND s.case_mkey IN (SELECT case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' WHERE "isDefiningEvent")))
ORDER BY c."eventDate" DESC, c."ntsbNumber" DESC
```

This list as a web page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence?model=7101802

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