# NTSB CEN16LA029: Piper PA 18-150, N9029Y, Tecumseh, MI, November 3, 2015 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: November 3, 2015, 14:30 local (19:30 UTC) - Place: Tecumseh, MI - Coordinates: 42.025001, -83.939163 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.0250&lon=-83.9392&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report October 3, 2016 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration East Michigan FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 92282 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN16LA029 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/92282/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=92282 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN16LA029 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing and his subsequent improper decision to attempt an aborted landing after the airplane had departed the runway. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Performance/control parameters: directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-18-150, 98 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md?model=7101828), [All aircraft, 3,958 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-18-150, 160 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=7101828), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Info processing/decision: decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-18-150, 51 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md?model=7101828), [All aircraft, 3,098 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-18-150, 109 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=7101828), [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md) - [Landing-aborted after touchdown: Collision during takeoff/land](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490); cases with it: [Piper PA-18-150, 25 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490/sequence.md?model=7101828), [All aircraft, 1,309 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490/sequence.md) ## Analysis The airline transport pilot reported that he made a normal wheel (two-point) landing; however, as the airplane traversed the airport's crossing runway, the airplane bounced into the air near midfield. He increased engine power after the bounce and subsequently made a full-stall (three-point) landing on the remaining runway. The airplane immediately veered left after the tailwheel contacted the runway. The airplane subsequently departed the left side of the runway into a grass field. The pilot reported that he was able to regain directional control and reestablish a ground track that was parallel to the runway before he attempted to abort the landing and take off from the grass field. Although he was able to get the airplane airborne, the pilot was unable to clear trees located along an airport perimeter road. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. Additionally, a postaccident airplane examination did not reveal any anomalies with the airplane's flight controls, brake system, or tailwheel assembly that would have prevented normal operation. The pilot reported that the accident likely could have been prevented if he had attempted to stop the airplane in the grass field instead of trying to abort the landing. ## Factual narrative On November 3, 2015, about 1442 eastern standard time, a Piper model PA-18-150 single-engine airplane, N9029Y, was substantially damaged when it collided with trees during an aborted landing at Meyers-Diver's Airport (3TE), Tecumseh, Michigan. The airline transport pilot and his passenger were not injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 without a flight plan. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight that had departed 3TE about 1320.The pilot reported that the accident occurred as he was landing on runway 27 (1,820 feet by 100 feet, grass/turf). He reported that he made a normal wheel (two-point) landing; however, as the airplane traversed over the crossing runway 18/36 (asphalt), the airplane bounced back into the air near midfield. He increased engine power after the bounce and subsequently made a full-stall (three-point) landing on the remaining runway. The pilot reported that the airplane immediately veered to the left after the tailwheel made contact with the runway. The airplane subsequently departed the left side of the runway into a grass field. The pilot reported that he was able to regain directional control and reestablish a ground track that was parallel to the runway before he attempted an aborted landing from the grass field. Although he was able to get the airplane airborne, the pilot was unable to clear trees that were located along an airport perimeter road. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and fuselage during the collision with the trees. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. Additionally, the pilot reported that the accident likely could have been prevented had he attempted to stop the airplane while in the grass field instead of trying to abort the landing. A postaccident airplane examination, completed by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Airworthiness Inspector, did not reveal any anomalies with the airplane's flight controls, brake system, or tail wheel assembly that would have prevented normal operation. At 1453, the automated surface observing system at the Lenawee County Airport (ADG), located about 11 miles south-southwest of the accident site, reported: wind 180 degrees at 7 knots, surface visibility 10 statute miles, clear sky, temperature 23 degrees Celsius, dew point 7 degrees Celsius, and an altimeter setting of 30.15 inches of mercury. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N9029Y](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N9029Y), registered now, S/N 18-8905, built 1970 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA 18-150 - 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: 18-8905 - Year built: 1970 - Airframe hours: 2840 - Engines: Lycoming O-320-A2B 150 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, August 20, 2015 - Departed: 3TE, Tecumseh, MI - Destination: 3TE, Tecumseh, MI - Airport: 3TE, Meyers-Diver's Airport, runway 27, 1,820 × 100 ft, grass/turf - Equipment: None ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 84; injuries: none; airline transport, flight engineer; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3; last flight review May 22, 2014; seat: front; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 44,020 total, 2,840 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 180° at 7 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 73 °F, dew point 45 °F - Altimeter: 30.14 inHg - Observed at: ADG, 11 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20151103020079A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20151103020079A), Nov 3, 2015: Piper PA-18-150, Tecumseh, MI, Substantial damage. PIC operated the aircraft from the front seat and had a passenger in the back seat. Flight was about 1 hour and 20 minutes and departed with full fuel to do… ## Docket (6 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 12, 2016, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=92282. 1.4 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 731 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40440033&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Pilot Statement (James Mynning) (item 2, .PDF, 77 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40440034&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%20Statement%20(James%20Mynning)-Master.PDF - Memorandum of Conversation (James Mynning) (item 3, .PDF, 102 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40440035&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memorandum%20of%20Conversation%20(James%20Mynning)-Master.PDF - FAA Inspector Statement (Wesley Shartle) (item 4, .PDF, 77 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40440036&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Inspector%20Statement%20(Wesley%20Shartle)-Master.PDF - Weather Reports (item 5, .PDF, 40 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40440037&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Weather%20Reports-Master.PDF - Stay Centered Safety Alert (item 6, .PDF, 338 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40448615&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Stay%20Centered%20Safety%20Alert-Master.PDF 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.