- Date
- August 20, 2000, 13:20 local (20:20 UTC)
- Place
- North Plains, OR
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N6985DPiper PA-18A-150
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 18, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20000820014099A
- Case key
- 50059
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 excessive use of brakes. Contributing factors were the pilot's misjudgment of distance/speed (landing long and fast) and lack of experience in the make/model of aircraft.
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
The pilot was executing a wheel landing in the PA-18A-150 following his return from a glider tow operation. Witnesses at the airport reported that the aircraft landed long on the westerly runway (approximately 1,200 feet beyond the threshold of the 2,200 foot long grass/turf strip), and was also fast. During the landing roll the aircraft nosed over. The pilot and an FAA inspector reported finding no mechanical malfunction with the aircraft. The pilot reported a total of 2 hours of flight experience in the make/model aircraft.
Factual narrative
On August 20, 2000, approximately 1320 Pacific daylight time, a Piper PA-18A-150, N6985D, registered to Willamette Valley Soaring Club, Inc., and being flown by a commercial pilot, was substantially damaged during a nose over on landing roll at the North Plains gliderport, North Plains, Oregon. The pilot sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The flight, which was reported to be returning from a glider tow operation, was operated under 14CFR91, and originated from the gliderport approximately 1305.
The pilot reported that he had been towing in a PA-25-260 aircraft and was asked to switch to the PA-18A-150. He stated that he pre-flighted N6985D and then "...did one warm-up pattern & [a] good wheel landing, then towed 1 tow/glider to 3,000' and returned to land to [the] west, r[igh]t traffic..." and that "...I did a wheel landing app[ro]x[imately] mid field and the a[ir]c[ra]ft flipped over on its back."
The pilot reported a total of 2 hours of flight experience in the PA-18A-150 aircraft and had made numerous landings and takeoffs at the gliderport in the previous year. He also stated on NTSB Form 6120.1/2 that he experienced no mechanical malfunction or failure with the aircraft.
Witnesses at the airport reported that the aircraft landed long on the westerly runway (approximately 1,200 feet beyond the threshold of the 2,200 foot long grass/turf strip), and was also fast.
An FAA inspector who interviewed the pilot after the accident reported that the pilot was making a wheel landing. The tailwheel was still airborne when the aircraft rapidly nosed over. The inspector reported finding no evidence of brake malfunction during his on-site inspection.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6985D
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18A-150
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-5514
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 91
- Registered owner
- Eckley, James R.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 11, 1999
- Departed
- 1OR4
- Airport
- 1OR4 · North Plains Gliderport, runway 27, 2,200 × 150 ft, grass/turf
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
- 52
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 673 total · 2 in this make and model · 571 as pilot in command · 43 in the last 90 days · 20 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 48 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- HIO, 5 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.