- Date
- February 14, 2004, 13:38 local (18:38 UTC)
- Place
- Naples, FL
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N226PPiper PA-18-160
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 3, 2004
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20040214001279A
- Case key
- 58759
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's inadequate compensation for a crosswind condition during landing, which resulted in a loss of control and an on-ground encounter with terrain. Factors associated with the accident were a crosswind, and an inadvertent ground loop.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The private certificated pilot reported that he was landing on runway 23, which required a correction for a left crosswind. The pilot stated that at touchdown, a strong gust of wind lifted the left wing, and the airplane subsequently ground looped to the right. During the ground loop, the right wing and right aileron struck the surface of the runway and sustained structural damage. At 1338, an Aviation Routine Weather Report (METAR) was reporting the wind as 180 degrees (true) at 15 knots, with peak gusts of 22 knots.
Factual narrative
On February 14, 2004, about 1338 eastern standard time, a wheel-equipped Piper PA-18-160 airplane, N226P, sustained substantial damage during a loss of control and subsequent ground loop during landing at the Naples Airport, Naples, Florida. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) cross-country personal flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The private certificated pilot, and the one passenger, were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight originated at the Marathon Airport, Marathon, Florida, about 1215. No flight plan was filed, nor was one required.
During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), on February 17, 2004, the pilot reported that he was landing on runway 23, which required a correction for a strong left crosswind. The pilot stated that at touchdown, a strong gust of wind lifted the left wing, and the airplane subsequently ground looped to the right. During the ground loop, the right wing and right aileron struck the surface of the runway and sustained structural damage.
At 1338, an Aviation Routine Weather Report (METAR) for the Naples Airport was reporting, in part: wind, 180 degrees (true) at 15 knots, peak gusts 22 knots; visibility, 10 statute miles; clouds and sky condition, few at 1,500 feet; temperature, 81 degrees F; dew point, 70 degrees F; altimeter, 29.95 inHg.
The pilot noted that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N226P
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18-160
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- PA-7909066
- Airframe hours
- 2,194
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- A.J. Cross
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 1, 2003 · 54 hours before
- Departed
- MTH · Marathon, FL
- Destination
- APF · Naples, FL
- Airport
- APF · Naples Muni, runway 23, 5,000 × 150 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 52
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- December 1, 2003
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 351 total · 51 in this make and model · 351 as pilot in command · 37 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 15 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 70 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.95 inHg
- Observed at
- KAPF
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.