# NTSB LAX03TA233: Piper PA-18-150, N8991Y, Ely, NV, July 14, 2003 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Final report - Date: July 14, 2003, 10:30 local (17:30 UTC) - Place: Ely, NV - Coordinates: 39.069999, -114.79528 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.0700&lon=-114.7953&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report December 3, 2004 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 57491 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX03TA233 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/57491/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX03TA233 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain proper alignment with the road and the CFI's failure to adequately supervise the second pilot's landing and his delayed remedial action. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - on ground/water, landing - roll - proper alignment - not maintained, dual student (cause) - remedial action - delayed, pilot in command(cfi) (cause) - supervision - inadequate, pilot in command(cfi) (cause) - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - roll - directional control - not maintained, pilot in command(cfi) - terrain condition - soft (contributing factor) - Nose over, landing - roll - terrain condition - ditch ## Analysis While landing on a gravel road the airplane veered off the road's surface, encountered a ditch, and nosed over. During the airplane checkout flight, the certified flight instructor (CFI) authorized the second pilot, who was handling the flight controls, to land on a gravel road. The wind was calm. As the airplane decelerated during the landing rollout, the second pilot failed to maintain the airplane's alignment with the road thus allowing the right main landing gear wheel to roll over the runway's edge. Thereafter, directional control was lost. During the mishap sequence, the CFI had attempted corrective action by applying rudder pressure after the second pilot had already applied rudder pressure. By the time he responded to correct the airplane's course, it had already drifted toward the edge of the runway. When the CFI attempted to regain control by increasing engine power, he found that the second pilot had already opened the engine's throttle. The airplane veered off the road, into a ditch, and nosed over. ## Factual narrative On July 14, 2003, about 1030 Pacific daylight time, a Piper PA-18-150, N8991Y, nosed over during landing rollout on a road about 14 miles south of Ely, Nevada. The airplane was owned by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and it was operated as a public-use instructional flight by the Department's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time, and a company flight plan was filed. The airplane was substantially damaged. Neither the airline transport pilot, who held a certificated flight instructor (CFI) certificate, nor the second pilot was injured. The flight originated from Ely about 0830. The CFI reported that the purpose of the flight was to provide a checkout including landing practice to the second pilot, who held a commercial pilot certificate. After performing air work, the CFI directed the second pilot to perform an off field landing. They picked out a road and flew over it to assess its adequacy for landing. The wind was nearly calm in the area and no hazards were noted with the road, which had a gravel surface. The second pilot reported that he lined up with the road and applied full flaps. He planned to perform a three point landing, but upon touchdown the airplane bounced upward about 1 foot. During the rollout, the airplane veered right, and the pilot applied left rudder and full engine power to correct for the drift. The pilot reported that he was not successful at realigning the airplane with the roadway, and he even applied left brake in an effort at maintaining directional control. The pilot opined that the brake was ineffective because of the gravel surface. The right main landing gear wheel dropped off the shoulder of the road. Thereafter, the airplane went into a ditch and nosed over. The CFI reported that when he observed the airplane starting to drift to the side of the road, he began applying pressure to the left rudder to correct for the drift. However, at that time he noticed the second pilot had already applied rudder pressure in his correction effort. The CFI indicated that when he tried to apply full engine power, the second pilot had already opened the throttle. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N8991Y](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N8991Y), registered now, S/N 18-7409133, built 1974 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA-18-150 - Registry model: [Piper PA-18-150](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-18-150) (registry code 7101828) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming O-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-360-series) (registry code 41575, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 18-7409133 - Airframe hours: 19513 - Engines: Lycoming O-360-C4P 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Public use - Registered owner: U.S. Dept of Agriculture - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Restricted (Special) - Last inspection: 100 hour, May 13, 2003, 75 hours before - Departed: ELY, Ely, NV - Destination: Ely, NV - Flight plan: Company VFR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Flight instructor; age 51; injuries: none; airline transport, flight instructor; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land, single-engine sea; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review April 13, 2002; seat: rear; flight hours: 9,513 total, 5,500 in this make and model, 9,313 as pilot in command, 162 in the last 90 days, 34 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours - Pilot; age 49; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review January 19, 2003; seat: front; flight hours: 7,383 total, 460 in this make and model, 7,222 as pilot in command, 14 in the last 90 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 350° at 5 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 81 °F, dew point 23 °F - Altimeter: 30.28 inHg - Observed at: ELY, 14 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20030714016359A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030714016359A), Jul 14, 2003: Piper PA18150, Ely, NV, Substantial damage. (-23) While conducting an off airport landing to a dirt road for training with the department of agricultural, wildlife services, the aircraft touched down on… From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.