- Date
- September 29, 2001, 15:15 local (21:15 UTC)
- Place
- Deming, NM
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N999MPPiper PA-18-150
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 16, 2003
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20010929030129A
- Case key
- 53556
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
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Probable cause
The NTSB’s determination of the probable cause, and any contributing factors.
the pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during takeoff roll. A contributing factor was the gusting crosswind weather condition.
Analysis
The pilot said that he was departing on runway 08 when his right wing was lifted up by a gust of wind. He said the left wing impacted the runway, and the airplane subsequently ground looped to the left. The airplane exited the left side of the runway, and came to rest in the inverted position. The fixed base operator manager said that the wind was from 170 degrees at 15 knots, gusting from 20 to 25 knots at the time of the accident. The pilot said that he had flown 9 hours on the day of the accident.
Factual narrative
On September 29, 2001, at approximately 1515 mountain daylight time, a Piper PA-18-150 Super Cub, N999MP, was substantially damaged when it nosed over during takeoff roll at Deming Municipal Airport, Deming, New Mexico. The private pilot, the sole occupant on board, received minor injuries. The pilot/owner was operating the airplane under Title 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the cross-country personal flight that was originating at the time of the accident. No flight plan had been filed.
The pilot said that he was departing on runway 08 when his right wing was lifted up by a gust of wind. He said the left wing struck the runway, and the airplane subsequently ground looped to the left. The airplane exited the left side of the runway, and came to rest in the inverted position. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the engine mount, the outboard 8 feet of the right wing, and the rudder were bent.
The fixed base operator manager said that the wind was from 170 degrees at 15 knots, gusting from 20 to 25 knots at the time of the accident. The pilot said that he had flown 9 hours on the day of the accident.
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.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N999MP
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18-150
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-7609073
- Airframe hours
- 4,200
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360-C4P, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Vial J. LeBlanc Jr.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · September 2, 2001 · 10 hours before
- Departed
- DMN · Deming, NM
- Airport
- DMN · Deming Municipal Airport, runway 08, 6,626 × 75 ft, asphalt
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 58
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- October 14, 2000
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 2,879 total · 340 in this make and model · 2,819 as pilot in command · 38 in the last 90 days · 21 in the last 30 days · 9 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 100° at 13 knots, gusting 21
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 88 °F, dew point 27 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.07 inHg
- Observed at
- DMN
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.