- Date
- October 14, 2018, 13:30 local (17:30 UTC)
- Place
- Cherry Ridge, PA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N6690DPiper PA 18-135
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 20, 2020
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FSDO - FAA
- FAA report
- 20181014020049A
- Case key
- 98487
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, which resulted in a ground loop.
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, after conducting a three-point landing, during the landing roll, the wind changed direction and lifted the left wing, and the airplane ground looped. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing and elevator. 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, after a 3-point landing, during the landing roll, the wind changed direction, lifted the left wing, and the airplane ground looped. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing and elevator. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The automated weather observation system located on the airport reported that, about 20 minutes before the accident, the wind was 200º at 7 knots and about 35 minutes after the accident, the wind was 230 at 7 knots. The pilot reported that, at the time of the accident, the wind shifted to a right crosswind. The airplane landed on runway 36.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6690D
- Reported as
- Piper PA 18-135 (B)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-3848
- Built
- 1954
- Airframe hours
- 3,827
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-A2B, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 11, 2018
- Departed
- N30 · Honesdale, PA
- Destination
- N30 · Honesdale, PA
- Airport
- N30 · Cherry Ridge, runway 36, 2,986 × 50 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- None
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
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- February 8, 2017
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 728.4 total · 12.5 in this make and model · 685 as pilot in command · 93.8 in the last 90 days · 59.5 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 200° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 48 °F, dew point 37 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.20 inHg
- Observed at
- KMPO, 23 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 10, 2019, 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.