- Date
- June 21, 2018, 10:00 local (15:00 UTC)
- Place
- Llano, TX
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N9496DPiper PA18
- Defining event
- Landing: Aerodynamic stall/spin
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 5, 2019
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20180621017059A
- Case key
- 98611
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 receiving instruction’s improper landing flare and his failure to maintain adequate airspeed and his exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack during landing, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.
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 pilot receiving instruction in the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, during landing, the airplane touched down abruptly. He added that he taxied to the edge of the runway and saw that the airplane was leaning left. The flight instructor reported that the pilot leveled off about 3 ft above the ground and allowed the airspeed to decrease. He added that he instructed the pilot to add power to "cushion the landing" and that the pilot attempted to do so, but the airplane continued to decelerate until it aerodynamically stalled and landed hard on the left main landing gear. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot receiving instruction in the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, during landing, the airplane touched downed abruptly. He added that he taxied to the edge of the runway and observed that the airplane was leaning to the left. The flight instructor reported that the pilot leveled off about 3 ft above the ground and allowed the airspeed to decrease. He added that he instructed the pilot to add power to "cushion the landing" and the pilot attempted to, but the airplane continued to decelerate until it aerodynamically stalled and landed hard on the left main landing gear. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9496D
- Reported as
- Piper PA18
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-6748
- Built
- 1958
- Airframe hours
- 5,346.9
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-A2B, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 29, 2017
- Departed
- AQO · Llano, TX
- Destination
- AQO · Llano, TX
- Airport
- AQO · Llano Muni, runway 31, 3,209 × 150 ft, grass/turf
- 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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 68
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Waiver time limited special
- Seat
- Rear
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 11,456 total · 1,252 in this make and model · 11,359 as pilot in command · 28 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 41
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Flight hours
- 1,826 total · 1.2 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.01 inHg
- Observed at
- KAQO
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 11, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 5.1 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 N9496D · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.