- Date
- March 10, 2018, 14:20 local (22:20 UTC)
- Place
- Hillsboro, OR
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N50KFPiper PA22
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 5, 2018
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20180310001879A
- Case key
- 96938
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 in tailwind conditions.
Findings · 5
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 student pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, during landing, the airplane ground looped, and the right main landing gear collapsed. He added that he believes he became complacent during the flight. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The student pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. A review of recorded data from the automated weather observation station located on the airport reported that, about 27 minutes before the accident, the wind was from 070° at 8 knots. The airplane landed on runway 31L.
Factual narrative
The student pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, during landing, the airplane ground looped, and the right main landing gear collapsed. He added that he believes he became complacent during the flight. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The student pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. A review of recorded data from the automated weather observation station located on the airport reported that, about 27 minutes before the accident, the wind was from 070° at 8 knots. The airplane landed on runway 31L.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N50KF
- Reported as
- Piper PA22 (150)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 22-4274
- Built
- 1956
- Airframe hours
- 3,484.9
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320 SERIES, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · March 5, 2018
- Departed
- SPB · Scappoose, OR
- Destination
- SPB · Scappoose, OR
- Airport
- HIO · Portland-Hillsboro, runway 31L, 6,600 × 150 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Auto-pilot, ADS-B
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
- Student pilot
- Age
- 32
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 128.6 total · 53.9 in this make and model · 14.6 as pilot in command · 13.8 in the last 90 days · 2.2 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 70° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 61 °F, dew point 37 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.96 inHg
- Observed at
- KHIO
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 9, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.3 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.