- Date
- May 21, 1993, 13:35 local (20:35 UTC)
- Place
- Vacaville, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N9461PPiper PA-18-150
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 30, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19930521015089A
- Case key
- 28387
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 after encountering strong and gusty cross winds during the landing flare.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
An FAA inspector witnessed the accident and reported that the aircraft was landing with a right 45 degree cross wind he estimated at 14 knots with higher gusts to 17 knots. Shortly after touchdown, the aircraft ground looped and nosed over. The inspector stated that he routinely flies into and out of the airport, and, due to some trees bordering the airport, the wind conditions can sometimes be highly variable with wind shears and vortex situations. All of the pilot's flight time was accrued in tail wheel aircraft.
Factual narrative
On May 21, 1993, at about 1335 hours Pacific daylight time, a Piper PA18 150, N9461P, ground looped and nosed over on landing at the Nut Tree airport, Vacaville, California. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The aircraft incurred substantial damage. The certificated private pilot was not injured. The local area pattern practice flight originated at Vacaville, California, on the day of the mishap at about 1300 hours.
An FAA inspector witnessed the accident. He reported that the aircraft was landing on runway 20 with a right 45 degree cross wind he estimated at 14 knots with higher gusts to about 17 knots. Shortly after touchdown, the aircraft ground looped and nosed over. The inspector stated that he routinely flies into and out of the airport, and, due to some trees bordering the airport, the wind conditions can sometimes be highly variable with wind shears and vortex situations.
The FAA inspector reported that he examined the pilot's logbook. All of the pilot's flight time was accrued in tail wheel aircraft.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9461P
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18-150
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-7509133
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-A2B, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Joy I. Smith
- Registered owner
- Joy I. Smith
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- O45
- Destination
- O45
- Airport
- O45 · Nut Tree, runway 20, 3,800 × 75 ft, asphalt
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
- 36
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 120 total · 20 in this make and model · 50 as pilot in command · 20 in the last 90 days · 20 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 245° at 14 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility
- 30 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F
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 N9461P · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.