- Date
- September 20, 2018, 20:00 local (Sep 21, 2018, 04:00 UTC)
- Place
- St. Mary's, AK
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N8192DPiper PA18
- Defining event
- Landing: Miscellaneous/other
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 8, 2019
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20180920013869A
- Case key
- 98345
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 selection of an unsuitable off-airport landing area, which resulted in a ground loop.
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 pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, during the landing at an off-airport dirt and grass landing area, the ground was very slippery. During the landing roll, the airplane struck a few holes and bumps, and the airplane rocked side to side. The airplane's left wing struck the ground and "pushed up," which caused the right wing to strike and catch the ground. The airplane ground looped to the right and came to rest in a nose-down attitude. 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.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, during the landing at an off-airport dirt and grass landing area, the ground was very slippery. During the landing roll, the airplane struck a few holes and bumps and the airplane rocked side to side. The left wing struck the ground and "pushed up", which caused the right wing to strike and catch the ground. The airplane ground looped to the right and came to rest in a nose down attitude. 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.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8192D
- Reported as
- Piper PA18 (150)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-6130
- Built
- 1957
- Airframe hours
- 3,693
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-C4P, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 16, 2017
- Departed
- ksm · St. Mary's, AK
- Destination
- St. Mary's, AK
- Equipment
- Handheld GPS, 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
- Pilot
- Age
- 29
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 17, 2018
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 350 total · 135 in this make and model · 350 as pilot in command · 61 in the last 90 days · 15 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 230° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 50 °F, dew point 48 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.04 inHg
- Observed at
- PASM, 33 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 14, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.9 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 N8192D · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.