- Date
- May 20, 2016, 15:16 local (19:16 UTC)
- Place
- Westminster, MD
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N7367DPiper PA 18A
- Defining event
- Landing: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 31, 2016
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20160520010719A
- Case key
- 93251
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 directional control during the landing roll, which resulted in runway excursion, and collision with terrain.
Findings · 2
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 pilot of the tailwheel equipped airplane reported that during the landing roll, as soon as the tailwheel touched down a "significant shimmy" developed, but he also reported that the shimmy was not uncommon. He further reported that he attempted to "momentarily unload" the weight from the tailwheel, but the airplane suddenly veered off the runway to the left. The pilot reported that to avoid hitting a "wind indicator" he applied hard brakes, subsequently the airplane nosed forward, and the propeller impacted the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. According to the pilot there were no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the tailwheel equipped airplane reported that during the landing roll, as soon as the tailwheel touched down a "significant shimmy" developed, but he also reported that the shimmy was not uncommon. He further reported that he attempted to "momentarily unload" the weight from the tailwheel, but the airplane suddenly veered off the runway to the left. The pilot reported that to avoid hitting a "wind indicator" he applied hard brakes, subsequently the airplane nosed forward, and the propeller impacted the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. According to the pilot there were no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7367D
- Reported as
- Piper PA 18A (150)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-5730
- Built
- 1957
- Airframe hours
- 15,677
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-A2B, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 12, 2016
- Departed
- 2W2 · Westminster, MD
- Destination
- 2W2 · Westminster, MD
- Airport
- 2W2 · Clearview Airpark, runway 14, 1,840 × 30 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Handheld GPS
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
- 45
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- November 21, 2015
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 687 total · 123 in this make and model · 550 as pilot in command · 14 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.21 inHg
- Observed at
- KDMW, 8 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 12, 2016, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.4 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.