- Date
- December 7, 2014, 11:45 local (17:45 UTC)
- Place
- Minocqua, WI
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N41594Piper PA 18-150
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Aerodynamic stall/spin
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 11, 2015
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20141207021319A
- Case key
- 90475
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 did not maintain directional control of the airplane during the landing flare when a sudden wind shift occurred.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that he was attempting to land on runway 18 while the wind was 170 degrees at 11 knots, gusting to 21 knots. He explained that he attempted a three-point landing instead of a wheel landing because the airplane was equipped with "wheel-penetration skis." During the flare, the pilot observed that snow began blowing directly across the runway just ahead of the airplane. The airplane subsequently drifted to the right. The pilot corrected with rudder and aileron inputs and the airplane still drifted right. He decided to initiate a go-around. As he applied power in an attempted to fly out of the gusting crosswind, the right wing dropped. The ski-equipped right main gear collapsed when it impacted the snow with a side load. The right wing tip then contacted the snow and the airplane sustained substantial wing spar and firewall damage when it cartwheeled on its right wing tip, nose, left wing tip, and then balanced on its nose. The pilot reported that there were no airplane mechanical malfunctions during the accident flight.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that he was attempting to land on runway 18 while the wind was 170 degrees at 11 knots, gusting to 21 knots. He explained that he attempted a three-point landing instead of a wheel landing because the airplane was equipped with "wheel-penetration skis." During the flare, the pilot observed that snow began blowing directly across the runway just ahead of the airplane. The airplane subsequently drifted to the right. The pilot corrected with rudder and aileron inputs and the airplane still drifted right. He decided to initiate a go-around. As he applied power in an attempted to fly out of the gusting crosswind, the right wing dropped. The ski-equipped right main gear collapsed when it impacted the snow with a side load. The right wing tip then contacted the snow and the airplane sustained substantial wing spar and firewall damage when it cartwheeled on its right wing tip, nose, left wing tip, and then balanced on its nose. The pilot reported that there were no airplane mechanical malfunctions during the accident flight.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N41594
- Reported as
- Piper PA 18-150 (A150)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1809113
- Built
- 1994
- Airframe hours
- 649
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-A2B, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Butler John P
- Registered owner
- Butler John P
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 29, 2014
- Departed
- ARV · Minocqua, WI
- Destination
- ARV · Minocqua, WI
- Airport
- ARV · Lakeland/Lee Memorial Field, runway 18, 5,150 × 100 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
- 61
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 25, 2014
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 12,394 total · 33 in this make and model · 112 in the last 90 days · 40 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 170° at 14 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,800 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 32 °F, dew point 25 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.42 inHg
- Observed at
- KARV
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 28, 2015, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.1 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.