- Date
- June 4, 2015, 08:55 local (15:55 UTC)
- Place
- Hay, WA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N7860DPiper PA 18A 150
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Nose over/nose down
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 27, 2015
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20150604007739A
- Case key
- 91310
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 and flight instructor's improper brake application during the landing roll. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor's failure to make a positive transfer of controls.
Findings · 4
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The rated pilot and flight instructor were practicing off airport landings in unimproved areas in the tailwheel equipped airplane. After two evaluation passes, the pilot landed. The pilot reported that during the rollout the airplane had oscillations around the lateral axis and the pilot applied the brakes. The flight instructor also applied brake pressure during the landing roll. The airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to right wing strut, vertical stabilizer, and rudder. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported the accident may have been avoidable with better communication and transfer of controls with the flight instructor.
Factual narrative
The rated pilot and flight instructor were practicing off airport landings in unimproved areas in the tailwheel equipped airplane. After two evaluation passes, the pilot landed. The pilot reported that during the rollout the airplane had oscillations around the lateral axis and the pilot applied the brakes. The flight instructor also applied brake pressure during the landing roll. The airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to right wing strut, vertical stabilizer, and rudder. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported the accident may have been avoidable with better communication and transfer of controls with the flight instructor.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7860D
- Reported as
- Piper PA 18A 150 (A150)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-6009
- Built
- 1957
- Airframe hours
- 3,845
- Engine
- Avco Lycoming O-320-A2B, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Walla Walla University
- Registered owner
- Walla Walla University
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 20, 2015
- Departed
- 16W · Starbuck, WA
- Destination
- Hay, WA
- Equipment
- Handheld GPS, Satellite tracking device
Flight crew · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 20
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- February 26, 2015
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 305 total · 11 in this make and model · 242 as pilot in command · 44 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 27
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 10, 2014
- Seat
- Rear
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 2,582 total · 97 in this make and model · 2,494 as pilot in command · 62 in the last 90 days · 18 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 220° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.04 inHg
- Observed at
- KALW, 35 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 8, 2015, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.0 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.