- Date
- February 9, 2005, 16:45 local (22:45 UTC)
- Place
- Larimore, ND
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N66NDPiper PA-18-150
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 28, 2005
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Fargo, ND FSDO
- FAA report
- 20050209002539A
- Case key
- 60991
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 CFI's delay in applying remedial action which resulted in a loss of directional control of the airplane. Factors associated with the accident were the student's excessive application of rudder and the snow bank 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 airplane nosed over following a collision with a snow bank while landing. The purpose of the flight was for the certified flight instructor (CFI) to provide tailwheel training to a private pilot who was taking a tailwheel transition course. The CFI stated the student made the first landing. The CFI stated he then demonstrated a wheel landing. The student made two more landings with little assistance. The accident occurred on the student's fourth landing of the flight. The CFI stated the student landed on the main gear and after the tailwheel came down the airplane "turned slightly left of centerline." He stated the student overcorrected and the airplane veered abruptly to the right. The CFI stated he applied full left rudder, but it was too late. The airplane ground looped, struck a snow bank on side of the runway, and nosed over.
Factual narrative
On February 9, 2005, at 1645 central standard time, a Piper PA-18-150, N66ND, nosed over following a collision with a snow bank while landing on runway 12 (2,600 feet by 50 feet, dry asphalt) at the Larimore Municipal Airport (21L), Larimore, North Dakota. The certified flight instructor (CFI) and the private-rated student pilot were not injured. The airplane was substantially damaged. The 14 CFR Part 91 instructional flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions without a flight plan. The flight originated from Grand Forks (GFK), North Dakota, on 1600.
The CFI reported the purpose of the flight was to provide tailwheel training to a private pilot who was taking a tailwheel transition course from the University of North Dakota.
The CFI stated they departed GFK and flew to 21L to practice landings. He stated the student made the first landing. The CFI stated he then demonstrated a wheel landing. The student made two more landings with little assistance. The accident occurred on the student's fourth landing of the flight. The CFI stated the student landed on the main gear and after the tailwheel came down the airplane "turned slightly left of centerline." He stated the student overcorrected and the airplane veered abruptly to the right. The CFI stated he applied full left rudder, but it was too late. The airplane ground looped, struck a snow bank on side of the runway, and nosed over.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N66ND
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18-150
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1809046
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-A2B, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- UND Aerospace
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- GFK · Grand Forks, ND
- Destination
- 2L1 · Larimore, ND
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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 23
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 975 total · 10 in this make and model · 103 in the last 90 days
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 18
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 151 total · 4 in this make and model · 12 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 12 °F, dew point 7 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.12 inHg
- Observed at
- GFK
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N66ND · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.