- Date
- April 1, 2003, 16:45 local (23:45 UTC)
- Place
- Newcastle, WY
- Injuries
- 2 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N6883BPiper PA-18A-150
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 5, 2004
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20030401004959A
- Case key
- 56731
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 failure to maintain clearance from the terrain. Contributing factors include inadequate in-flight planning and decision making by the pilot, and the ground.
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 was "checking" cattle. While reversing course to the right, the airplane's wing tip impacted terrain. Subsequently the airplane cartwheeled, coming to rest inverted, substantially damaging the right wing, fuselage, and empennage. FAA records showed the pilot's last medical was dated February 1, 1994. The pilot failed to report having a current flight review. No record of an annual inspection was found.
Factual narrative
On April 1, 2003, at approximately 1645 mountain standard time, a Piper PA-18A-150, N6883B, was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain while maneuvering approximately 31 miles southwest of Newcastle, Wyoming. The private pilot and passenger sustained serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local flight being conducted under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91. No flight plan had been filed for the flight that had originated approximately 1500.
The pilot did not submit an accident report due to personal injuries and extended hospitalization. According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, the pilot was "checking" cattle. He was reversing course to the right, to check on a newborn calf, when the right wing tip impacted terrain. Subsequently, the airplane cartwheeled, coming to rest inverted. The right wing was bent and wrinkled, and its spar was broken. the fuselage was crushed, and the empennage was wrinkled and bent.
FAA records show the pilot's last medical was dated February 1, 1994. Documentation for the pilot's biennial flight review or the airplane's annual inspection were not found.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6883B
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18A-150
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-5070
- Engine
- Lycoming O-20, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Allen E. Slagle
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special); Standard, Normal
- Departed
- NONE · Newcastle, WY
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
- 40
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Invalid Medical for flight
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 950 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 300° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.54 inHg
- Observed at
- ECS, 27 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.
Other investigations on N6883B · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.