- Date
- March 11, 2000, 12:10 local (18:10 UTC)
- Place
- Neenah, WI
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N150AMPiper PA-18-150
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 2, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20000311042719A
- Case key
- 48804
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 inability to flare the airplane during landing and the subsequent loss of directional control due to restricted movement of the control stick. The control stick movement was restricted by the rear seat cushion which was not secured to the seat/airframe. A factor associated with the accident was the trees which the airplane contacted.
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 just prior to touchdown he was unable to apply 'full up elevator.' The airplane bounced on landing and yawed to the right. He applied full left rudder and brake, but the airplane continued toward the trees. He then applied right rudder and brake to intentionally ground loop the airplane in an attempt to miss the trees. However, the left wing contacted the trees and the airplane spun around to the left prior to stopping. Inspection of the airplane revealed the rear seat cushion was mounted on plywood which was not securely fastened to the seat structure/airframe. This allowed the seat cushion to move forward, restricting the movement of the control yoke.
Factual narrative
On March 11, 2000, at 1210 central standard time, a Piper PA-18- 150, N150AM, experienced a loss of control while landing on runway 36 (2,450' x 20') at Brennand Field, Neenah, Wisconsin. The pilot intentionally ground looped the airplane and it collided with trees. The commercial pilot and passenger were not injured. The airplane was substantially damaged. The 14 CFR Part 91 flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions without a flight plan. The flight originated from Oshkosh, Wisconsin, at 1135 cst.
The pilot reported that he checked the flight controls before the flight and they operated normally. He reported that just prior to touchdown he tried to apply "full up elevator, but the control stick hit a resistance." He reported the airplane bounced on landing and yawed to the right. The pilot reported he applied full left rudder and brake, but the airplane continued toward the trees. He then applied right rudder and brake to intentionally ground loop the airplane in an attempt to miss the trees. However, the left wing contacted the trees and the airplane spun around to the left prior to stopping.
Post accident inspection of the airplane revealed the rear seat cushion was mounted on plywood. The plywood seat bottom was not fastened to the seat structure/airframe. There were snaps mounted on the seat pan for securing the cushion. There was only one snap on the plywood which did not match the position of the snaps on the seat pan. This allowed the seat cushion to move forward, restricting the movement of the control yoke.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N150AM
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18-150
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-6406
- Airframe hours
- 4,289
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-A2B, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Barrett W. Paasch
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 18, 1999 · 14 hours before
- Departed
- PVT · Oshkosh, WI
- Destination
- 79C
- Airport
- 79C · Brennard, runway 36, 2,450 × 20 ft, asphalt
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 54
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 5,041 total · 10 in this make and model · 4,458 as pilot in command · 21 in the last 90 days · 16 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 30° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 30 °F, dew point 16 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- ATW, 7 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.