- Date
- September 22, 1990, 13:20 local (18:20 UTC)
- Place
- Midfield, AL
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N5429HPiper PA-18
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 28, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19900922041619A
- Case key
- 8278
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 assessment of deteriorating weather conditions and his resultant flight into areas of low clouds. The safety board believes that the pilot's overall lack of experience was a factor in the accident.
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 pilot reported that he encountered deteriorating weather conditions during the flight. Unable to maintain VFR conditions, he elected to perform a precautionary landing in a grassy field. During the landing, the airplane nosed over in tall grass. The pilot stated that he checked the weather with a fss prior to the flight, with VFR conditions forecast. Scheudled observations reported VFR conditions at the time of the accident, however the terrain where the accident took place was hilly and slightly higher in elevation than at the weather observation facility. The pilot received his private pilot certificate seven days prior to the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5429H
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-20
- Engine
- Continental C-90-8F, 90 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- James A. Damron
- Departed
- APT · Jasper, TN
- Destination
- 14J · Elba, AL
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
- 23
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 75 total · 62 in this make and model · 55 as pilot in command · 45 in the last 90 days · 31 in the last 30 days · 11 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- 320° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,400 ft broken
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 70 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- BHM, 5 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.