- Date
- May 4, 2003, 14:30 local (20:30 UTC)
- Place
- Gordon, NE
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N9682PPiper PA-18-150
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 25, 2003
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Lincoln FSDO
- FAA report
- 20030504036799A
- Case key
- 56972
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 pilots failure to maintain adequate airspeed which resulted in a stall. Contributing factors to this accident were the rain, hail, and wind gusts.
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 airplane sustained substantial damage when it stalled on takeoff and impacted terrain. The pilot reported observing approaching weather which he described as a squall line approximately two miles west of his location. He also noted that a light rain had started and was accompanied by pea-size hail. Weather conditions reported by the Pine Ridge Airport (IEN) automated surface observing system, at 1530, were winds from 340 degrees at 14 knots, gusting to 21 knots, 10 miles visibility, and few clouds at 3,300 feet above ground level. The weather report included a notation of thunderstorms in the vicinity and lightening in the distance to the west and southwest. The pilot recalled taking off to the south and had begun his initial climb. He reported that the aircraft started to buffet and he "knew a stall was coming." In his statement the pilot noted the "aircraft stalled on takeoff, not enough altitude for recovery." The aircraft bounced and the right wing and main landing gear impacted the terrain. The aircraft then nosed over.
Factual narrative
On May 4, 2003, approximately 1430 mountain daylight time, a Piper PA-18-150, N9682P, owned and piloted by a commercial pilot, was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain immediately after takeoff from a pasture four miles south of Gordon, Nebraska. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight was being operated under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 flight and was not on a flight plan. The pilot reported no injuries. The intended destination was the pilot's private airstrip in Wounded Knee, South Dakota.
The pilot reported observing weather coming in from the west. He described the approaching weather was a squall line approximately two miles west of his location. He noted that a light rain had started and was accompanied by pea-sized hail and intermittent wind gusts.
The pilot reported taking off to the south and had begun his initial climb. He reported the aircraft started to buffet and he "knew a stall was coming." The pilot recalled thinking he would not be able to clear a rise that was ahead. In his written statement the pilot noted the "aircraft stalled on takeoff, not enough altitude for recovery." The aircraft bounced and the right wing and main landing gear impacted the terrain. The aircraft then nosed over.
The pilot reported weather conditions at the scene as overcast clouds at 2,000 feet above ground level (agl), south winds at 10 knots, gusting to 25 knots. He also noted light rain and hail.
Weather conditions reported by the Pine Ridge Airport (IEN) automated surface observing system, at 1530, were winds from 340 degrees at 14 knots, gusting to 21 knots, 10 miles visibility, and few clouds at 3,300 feet agl. The report included a notation of thunderstorms in the vicinity and lightening in the distance to the west and southwest.
The pilot reported no malfunctions with the aircraft or engine prior to the accident.
The pilot stated that the accident could have been prevented by waiting for the frontal system to pass.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9682P
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18-150
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-7509024
- Airframe hours
- 441
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-A2B, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 2, 2002 · 76 hours before
- Departed
- PVT · Gordon, NE
- Destination
- PVT · Wounded Knee, SD
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
- 50
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- February 10, 2002
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 6,500 total · 3,500 in this make and model · 6,200 as pilot in command · 50 in the last 90 days · 30 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 340° at 14 knots, gusting 21
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 57 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.43 inHg
- Observed at
- IEN, 20 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.