# NTSB ANC05LA052: Cub Crafters PA-18, N955DW, Fairbanks, AK, March 27, 2005 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: March 27, 2005, 15:30 local (19:30 UTC) - Place: Fairbanks, AK - Coordinates: 64.815277, -147.856384 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=64.8153&lon=-147.8564&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: FAA, Fairbanks Flight Standards District Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 61206 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC05LA052 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/61206/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC05LA052 ## Probable cause The flight instructor's inadequate supervision of the flight, and the dual student's failure to maintain directional control. ## 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 - directional control - not maintained, dual student (cause) - supervision - inadequate, pilot in command(cfi) (cause) - Main gear collapsed, landing - roll - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - roll - terrain condition - runway ## Analysis The certificated flight instructor was providing tailwheel instruction to the private pilot/airplane owner. While landing on runway 19L, a 6,500 foot long by 100 foot wide hard-surfaced runway, the instructor said that the airplane swerved to the left and the private pilot made a correction to the right by completely deflecting the right rudder. The instructor stated he also applied the right brake in addition to ensuring that the rudder was all the way to the right, but the airplane continued to the left. The right main landing gear subsequently collapsed, and the right wing contacted the runway, sustaining structural damage to the main spar. The instructor stated that he wasn't sure, but thought it possible the left brake had heated up, and was dragging during the accident landing. Postaccident inspection of the airplane by an FAA inspector disclosed no evidence of any mechanical malfunction of the left brake or wheel assembly. Wind at the time of the accident was reported to be from 163 degrees (magnetic) at 5 knots. ## Factual narrative On March 27, 2005, about 1530 Alaska standard time, a wheel-equipped Cub Crafter's PA-18 airplane, N955DW, sustained substantial damage following a loss of control and collision with the runway while landing at the Fairbanks International Airport, Fairbanks, Alaska. The certificated flight instructor and the private pilot/airplane owner were not injured. The local instructional 14 CFR Part 91 flight operated in visual meteorological conditions without a flight plan. The purpose of the flight was for the private pilot to increase his proficiency in operating a tailwheel airplane. During a telephone conversation with the NTSB investigator-in-charge (IIC) on March 28, the flight instructor related that he was providing flight instruction to the private pilot to improve his tailwheel takeoff and landing procedures. The instructor noted that the private pilot had recently been involved in a landing mishap in a tailwheel airplane (the accident airplane, N955DW), and that the FAA had notified the pilot that they wished to re-examine his tailwheel proficiency in a pending flight check. The instructor stated that the accident landing was the third full-stop landing of the day on runway 19L. He said that the two previous landings had been completed satisfactorily. On the accident landing, the airplane began to veer to the left shortly after touch down, and the instructor said he assisted the private pilot by applying the right brake. He noted that when he placed his foot on the rudder pedal to apply the right brake, the rudder pedal had already been fully deflected to the right by the private pilot. The airplane did not respond to the control inputs, and continued to swerve to the left. The right main landing gear subsequently collapsed, and the right wing struck the runway, damaging the wing spars. The flight instructor said he was unaware of any preaccident mechanical problems with the airplane, but thought possibly the left brake may have heated up and expanded, resulting in the left brake dragging. An FAA inspector from the Fairbanks Flight Standards District Office inspected the accident airplane's left brake assembly on March 29, and found no evidence of a mechanical malfunction. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N955DW](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N955DW), registered now, S/N 9969CC, built 2004 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cub Crafters PA-18 - Registry model: [Cub Crafters PA18-150](https://openairdocs.org/model/cub-crafters-pa18-150) (registry code 2470000) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming O-360-C4P](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-360-c4p) (registry code 42289, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 9969CC - Airframe hours: 75 - Engines: Lycoming O-360 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: David Witham - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, March 1, 2005, 0.3 hours before - Departed: FAI, Fairbanks, AK - Airport: PAFA, Fairbanks International, runway 19L, 6,500 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Flight instructor; age 57; injuries: none; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land, single-engine sea; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review November 1, 2004; seat: rear; flight hours: 10,860 total, 2,000 in this make and model, 10,400 as pilot in command, 50 in the last 90 days, 20 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours - Student pilot; injuries: none ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 163° at 5 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 9,000 ft broken - Temperature: 25 °F, dew point 21 °F - Altimeter: 29.02 inHg - Observed at: PAFA ## 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 20050327006549A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20050327006549A), Mar 27, 2005: Piper PA18150, Fairbanks, AK, Substantial damage. (-23) [privacy data omitted] during rollout from the third, full stall, 3 point, stop and go landing, the aircraft ground looped to the left. No left aileron… 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.