# NTSB CEN20LA150: Piper PA 18, N3670P, Bowie, TX, April 19, 2020

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report
- Date: April 19, 2020, 15:00 local (20:00 UTC)
- Place: Bowie, TX
- Coordinates: 33.516666, -97.773056 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.5167&lon=-97.7731&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Takeoff: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 3
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: Federal Aviation Administration
- NTSB case key (mKey): 101178
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN20LA150
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/101178/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101178
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN20LA150

## Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane during takeoff in gusting wind conditions, which resulted in an uncontrolled turn and descent into terrain.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Performance/control parameters: lateral/bank control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062023): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-18, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062023/cases.md?model=7101802), [All aircraft, 390 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062023/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, 21 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=7101802), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md)
- [Wind: gusts](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-18, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045/cases.md?model=7101802), [All aircraft, 1,199 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Takeoff: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-18, 8 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=7101802), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md)
- [Uncontrolled descent: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Piper PA-18, 19 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=7101802), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot was taking off on a 310° heading for a personal flight; gusting wind was from 270°. The pilot stated that during the initial climb, he observed a normal ascent rate, so he retracted the flaps. He added that "it felt like a gust [of wind] picked our left wing up," and in response he pushed the control stick to the left twice, but the airplane did not respond. The airplane continued to bank right and descend as the pilot attempted to bring the wings level. As the airplane approached the ground, the pilot pulled the throttle control to idle, then the airplane struck a metal building frame on the northeast side of the field. Postaccident examination of the airplane and flight control systems did not reveal any mechanical malfunction that would have precluded normal operation. It is likely that that pilot did not maintain control of the airplane in gusting wind conditions, resulting in an uncontrolled turn and descent into terrain.

## Factual narrative

On April 19, 2020, about 1500 central daylight time, a Piper PA-18 airplane, N3670P, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Bowie, Texas. The pilot and pilot-rated-passenger were not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot reported that he taxied the airplane to the south end of a friend's private field, completed an engine run-up, and "checked all systems," with no anomalies noted. The pilot reported that he began the ground roll on a 300° heading and extended the flaps around 40 mph indicated airspeed (IAS). The airplane lifted off with a normal ascent rate and he retracted the flaps about 50 mph IAS. The pilot reported that "it felt like a gust [of wind] picked our left wing up," so he pushed the control stick to the left, but the airplane did not respond. He moved the control stick back to a neutral position then again to the left, but the airplane still did not respond. The airplane continued to bank right and descend as the pilot attempted to bring the wings level. As the airplane approached the ground the pilot pulled the throttle control to idle, then the airplane struck a metal building frame on the northeast side of the field. The airplane came to rest upright and the two occupants egressed without injury. The responding Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector examined the grass field and determined that the airplane's tire tracks were oriented on a 310° heading. Due to the disposition of the wreckage as the accident site, a complete examination was not possible, so the wreckage was relocated to a secure facility where a flight control system examination was completed. The inspector's examination revealed that all flight control cables were attached to their respective control surfaces except for one impact-related separation. The right aileron control cable was separated and exhibited damage, which was determined to be from the impact sequence. The inspector could not find any mechanical reason for the reported right bank.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N3670P](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N3670P-2023-05-18), registration cancelled 2023-05-18, S/N 18-4568 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: Piper PA 18 (150)
- Registry model: [Piper PA-18](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-18) (registry code 7101802) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 18-4568
- Year built: 1955
- Airframe hours: 5029.1
- Engines: Lycoming O-320 160 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility
- Last inspection: Annual, December 18, 2019
- Departed: Bowie, TX
- Destination: 0F2, Bowie, TX
- Airport: n/a, Private Field, runway 31, 1,200 × 100 ft, grass/turf
- Equipment: ADS-B, Handheld GPS, Onboard weather

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 55; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review December 31, 2019; seat: front; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 3,054.5 total, 275 in this make and model, 2,911.5 as pilot in command, 46.5 in the last 90 days, 11 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours
- Pilot-rated passenger; age 31; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review July 20, 2019; seat: rear; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 260 total, 19.7 in this make and model, 231.8 as pilot in command, 31 in the last 90 days, 6 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 270° at 5 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter: 29.65 inHg
- Observed at: KLUD, 18 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 20200419001979A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200419001979A), Apr 19, 2020: Piper PA-18, Bowie, TX, Destroyed. Pilot departed Bowie municipal (0F2) and landed at private residence of [privacy data omitted] roughly 5 NM south. Landed with out issue and shutdown to talk…

## Docket (6 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 24, 2020, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101178. 9.0 MB in all.

- Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 3.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40485560&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF
- Pilot's Statement (item 2, .PDF, 415 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40485561&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%27s%20Statement-Master.PDF
- FAA Inspector's Statements (item 3, .PDF, 629 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40485562&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Inspector%27s%20Statements-Master.PDF
- Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 (item 4, .PDF, 209 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40485563&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Release%20of%20Aircraft%20Wreckage,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.15-Master.PDF
- Photos (item 5, .PDF, 2.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40485564&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photos-Master.PDF
- Maintenance Records (item 6, .PDF, 1.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40485565&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Maintenance%20Records-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.

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