- Date
- October 16, 2019, 16:00 local (23:00 UTC)
- Place
- Gerlach, NV
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N2894PPiper PA18
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Aerodynamic stall/spin
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 21, 2020
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20191016020109A
- Case key
- 100447
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 exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack during landing, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.
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 reported that, during approach to land on a dirt field, about 10 ft above ground level, the airplane yawed right, and the right wing aerodynamically stalled and impacted terrain. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and both wings. 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 and tundra tire-equipped airplane reported that, during approach to land on a dirt field, about 10 ft off the ground, the airplane yawed to the right, the right wing aerodynamically stalled and impacted terrain. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and both wings. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported that the wind was variable at 10 to 13 knots. He added that, after exiting the airplane, he observed that the wind was "swirling" and not constant. He assumed that he encountered a quartering tailwind gust. The pilot was landing the airplane to northwest.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2894P
- Reported as
- Piper PA18 (150)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-4492
- Built
- 1955
- Airframe hours
- 2,188.08
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-A2A, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 13, 2019
- Departed
- Calneva, CA
- Destination
- Calneva, CA
- Equipment
- ADS-B, Satellite tracking device
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
- 57
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 7, 2018
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 627 total · 153 in this make and model · 575 as pilot in command · 71 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 230° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 18 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.94 inHg
- Observed at
- KSVE, 31 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 20, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.2 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 N2894P · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.