# NTSB SEA03LA166: Piper PA-18-150, N115HP, Rapids, MT, August 9, 2003 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 9, 2003, 13:00 local (19:00 UTC) - Place: Rapids, MT - Coordinates: 45.611667, -109.105003 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.6117&lon=-109.1050&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report April 28, 2004 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA-FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 57679 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=SEA03LA166 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/57679/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA03LA166 ## Probable cause The failure of the landing gear tire valve stem and the pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll. The deflation of the tire and rough/uneven terrain were factors. ## Analysis The pilot reported that he over flew his intended landing site, a gravel road to determine its condition and the direction of the prevailing winds. He then made a standard traffic pattern entry landing to the east. The pilot reported that the gravel road was 25 feet wide, down sloping to the east and 1,000 feet in length that was "slightly winding." During the landing roll (decelerating through about 35-40 mph), the pilot determined that the aircraft was drifting right and he began correcting for the drift. He then noticed that the right tire was deflated and rolling on the rim. The aircraft's right wheel entered a shallow ditch at the edge of the road and the aircraft then departed the landing surface and traveled over rough down sloping terrain before nosing over and coming to rest inverted. The pilot, who held a mechanic's license, reported that upon examining the right wheel following the accident he found the wheel's valve stem to be broken. ## Factual narrative On August 9, 2003, approximately 1300 mountain daylight time, a Piper PA-18-150, N115HP, registered to/operated by Hawkins & Powers Aviation Inc., and being flown by an airline transport rated pilot, sustained substantial damage during a loss of control on landing roll, approximately one nautical mile north of Rapids, Montana. The pilot was uninjured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed. The flight, which was personal, was operated under 14 CFR 91, and had originated from Greybull, Wyoming, approximately noon on the same day. The pilot reported that upon arriving in the vicinity of his destination, he over flew the intended landing site, a gravel road, to determine its condition and the direction of the prevailing winds. He then made a standard traffic pattern entry landing to the east. The pilot reported that the gravel road was 25 feet wide, down sloping to the east and 1,000 feet in length that was "slightly winding." During the landing roll (decelerating through about 35-40 miles per hour), the pilot determined that the aircraft was drifting right and began correcting for the drift. He then noticed that the right tire was deflated and rolling on the rim. The aircraft's right wheel entered a shallow ditch at the edge of the road and the aircraft then departed the landing surface and traveled over rough down sloping terrain before nosing over and coming to rest inverted. The pilot, who held a mechanic's license, reported that upon examining the right wheel following the accident he found the wheel's valve stem to be broken. ## 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 - landing gear,tire valve stem - failure (cause) - directional control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - landing gear,tire - deflated (contributing factor) - terrain condition - rough/uneven (contributing factor) - Nose over, landing - roll ## Aircraft - Registration: N115HP (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: Piper PA-18-150 - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 18-8910 - Airframe hours: 4489 - Engines: Lycoming O-320 150 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Hawkins & Powers Aviation Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, January 13, 2003, 11 hours before - Departed: GEY, Greybull, WY - Destination: Park City, MT ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 35; injuries: none; flight instructor, commercial, flight engineer, airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: front; flight hours: 10,100 total, 25 in this make and model, 7,400 as pilot in command, 120 in the last 90 days, 40 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: variable at 4 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 84 °F, dew point 52 °F - Altimeter: 30.12 inHg - Observed at: BIL, 26 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 20030809019779A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030809019779A), Aug 9, 2003: Piper PA18150, Columbus, MT, Substantial damage. (-23) Stephen henry dunn was the pilot-in-command of N115HP on August 9, 2003. Mr dunn stated that at approximately 1300 hours local time on that date, he was… 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.