GAA18CA367

NTSB accident investigation · Piper PA 18 · Wasilla, AK · June 15, 2018

Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
June 14, 2018, 17:55 local (Jun 15, 2018, 01:55 UTC)
Place
Wasilla, AK
Injuries
1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N3764ZPiper PA 18
Defining event
Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control on ground
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report March 18, 2019
Report
Approved by Office Director
NTSB office
General Aviation Accidents
Parties
FAA
FAA report
20180614007869A
Case key
97544

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 landing in gusting tailwind conditions.

Findings · 6

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.

Performance/control parameters: directional controlAircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintainedPiper PA-18-150: 98 casesAll aircraft: 3,958 casesProbable cause
Use of equip/info: aircraft controlPersonnel issues › Task performance · PilotPiper PA-18-150: 160 casesAll aircraft: 9,295 casesProbable cause
Wind: tailwindEnvironmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on equipmentPiper PA-18-150: 15 casesAll aircraft: 594 cases
Wind: gustsEnvironmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on equipmentPiper PA-18-150: 34 casesAll aircraft: 1,199 cases
Object/animal/substance: poleEnvironmental issues › Physical environment · Contributed to outcomePiper PA-18-150: 3 casesAll aircraft: 142 cases
Object/animal/substance: wind sockEnvironmental issues › Physical environment · Effect on personnelPiper PA-18-150: 1 caseAll aircraft: 12 cases

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 reported that, during short final, the airplane encountered moderate turbulence, but he was able to maintain runway alignment and glideslope with constant power and flight control adjustments. During the landing roll, about 20 mph, the tailwheel-equipped airplane veered right. He applied full left aileron and rudder corrections, but the airplane continued to the right, exited the runway, impacted a post, and came to rest upright in a row of trees. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The weather observation station located about 7 nautical miles from the accident site reported that, about 1 minute after the accident, wind was variable at 6 knots, gusting to 15 knots. The pilot reported that the wind was from 130º at 21 knots, gusting to 30 knots. The airplane landed on runway 26. The pilot added that, after landing, the wind sock was found to be damaged and was not indicating wind direction properly; it was replaced after the accident.

Factual narrative

The pilot reported that, during short final, the airplane encountered moderate turbulence, but he was able to maintain runway alignment and glide slope with constant power and flight control adjustments. During the landing roll, about 20 miles per hour, the tailwheel equipped airplane veered right. He applied full left aileron and rudder corrections, but the airplane continued to the right, exited the runway, impacted a garden post and came to rest upright in a row of trees. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The weather observation station located about 7 nautical miles from the accident site, about a minute after the accident, reported the wind was variable at 6 knots, gusting 15 knots. The pilot reported the wind was from 130º at 21 knots, gusting 30 knots. The airplane landed on runway 26. The pilot added that, after landing, the wind sock was discovered to be damaged, not indicating wind direction properly, was replaced days after the accident.

Aircraft

Registration
N3764Z
Reported as
Piper PA 18 (150)
Category
Airplane
Serial number
18-7527
Built
1960
Airframe hours
1,747
Engine
Lycoming O-320-A@B, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · May 18, 2018
Departed
0AK1 · Wasilla, AK
Destination
0AK1 · Wasilla, AK
Flight plan
Unknown
Airport
0AK1 · Anderson Lake, runway 26, 1,800 × 40 ft, gravel
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
53
Injuries
None
Certificates
Airline transport, Flight instructor, Commercial, Military, Flight engineer
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land, Single-engine sea, Multi-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 1, With waivers/limitations
Last flight review
January 18, 2018
Seat
Front
Restraint
3-point
Flight hours
12,650 total · 4 in this make and model · 3,668 as pilot in command · 131 in the last 90 days · 81 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
70 °F, dew point 43 °F
Altimeter
29.86 inHg
Observed at
PAWS, 7 nm away

Docket · 2

The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 11, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.4 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.

Other investigations on N3764Z · 2

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.