# NTSB ANC05CA077: Piper PA-18, N8275U, Dillingham, AK, May 15, 2005 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: May 15, 2005, 13:13 local (21:13 UTC) - Place: Dillingham, AK - Coordinates: 59.033332, -158.505554 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=59.0333&lon=-158.5056&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report September 13, 2005 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - Parties: Anchorage FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 61488 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC05CA077 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/61488/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC05CA077 ## Probable cause The instructor pilot's inadequate supervision, and the dual student's failure to maintain directional control. Factors associated with the accident were a crosswind, and an inadvertent ground loop. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - on ground/water, landing - roll - weather condition - crosswind (contributing factor) - supervision - inadequate, pilot in command(cfi) (cause) - directional control - not maintained, dual student (cause) - ground loop/swerve - inadvertent, pilot in command(cfi) (contributing factor) - Gear collapsed, landing - roll - terrain condition - runway ## Analysis The flight instructor was providing flight instruction to the student pilot in a tailwheel-equipped airplane. The flight instructor said that just after landing on a dry, paved runway, which required a correction for a left crosswind, the student pilot allowed the airplane to veer to the left of the runway centerline. The instructor said that he took control of the airplane in an attempt to realign the airplane, but the airplane ground looped to the left, and the airplane's right main landing gear collapsed. The airplane's right wing struck the surface of the runway, and sustained structural damage. The first pilot noted that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane. ## Factual narrative On May 15, 2005, about 1313 Alaska daylight time, N8275U, a tailwheel-equipped Piper PA-18 airplane, sustained substantial damage during landing at the Dillingham Airport, Dillingham, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) local area instructional flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The first pilot, a certificated flight instructor, seated in the rear seat, and the second pilot, a student pilot, seated in the front seat, were not injured. The accident airplane was owned by the second pilot. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated at the Dillingham Airport, Dillingham, about 1300. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge on May 16, the first pilot reported that he was providing flight instruction to the second pilot. The first pilot said that just after landing on runway 1, a dry, paved runway, which required a correction for a left crosswind, the second pilot allowed the airplane to veer slightly to the right of the runway centerline. He said that he took control of the airplane in an attempt to realign the airplane, but the airplane ground looped to the left, and the airplane's right main landing gear collapsed. The airplane's right wing struck the surface of the runway, and sustained structural damage. The first pilot noted that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane. Dillingham Airport weather observation at the time of the accident consisted of: Sky conditions and ceiling, 2,100 feet broken, 3,100 feet overcast; visibility, 20 statute miles; wind, 100 degrees (magnetic) at 5 knots. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N8275U](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N8275U), registered now, S/N 18-7909102, built 1979 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA-18 - Registry model: [Piper PA-18-150](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-18-150) (registry code 7101828) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 18-7909102 - Airframe hours: 1554.8 - Engines: Lycoming O-320-A2B 150 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Kerrick L. Stout - Registered owner: Kerrick L. Stout - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, August 1, 2004, 1,532 hours before - Departed: DLG, Dillingham, AK - Destination: DLG - Airport: DLG, Dillingham, runway 01, 6,404 × 150 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Flight instructor; age 32; injuries: none; flight instructor, airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine sea, single-engine sea, single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1; seat: rear; flight hours: 5,190 total, 21 in this make and model, 4,740 as pilot in command, 62 in the last 90 days, 25 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours - Student pilot; age 34; injuries: none; student; medical: class 3; seat: front; flight hours: 22 total, 21 in this make and model, 20 in the last 90 days, 7 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 100° at 5 knots - Visibility: 20 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 2,100 ft broken - Temperature: 50 °F, dew point 37 °F - Altimeter: 29.54 inHg - Observed at: DLG ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20050515011809A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20050515011809A), May 15, 2005: Piper PA18150, Dillingham, AK, Substantial damage. (-23) The pilot in command failed to maintain adequate directional and braking control during the landing phase, which resulted in ground looping the airplane. 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. --- 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.