# NTSB SEA95LA184: Piper PA-18-150, N6854P, Owyhee, OR, August 15, 1995 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 15, 1995, 10:30 local (17:30 UTC) - Place: Owyhee, OR - Coordinates: 42.959323, -117.359458 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.9593&lon=-117.3595&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Taxi](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/250) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report April 18, 1996 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 42223 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=SEA95LA184 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/42223/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA95LA184 ## Probable cause THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. A FACTOR CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS HIS DIVERSION OF ATTENTION. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - on ground/water, taxi - to takeoff - directional control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - diverted attention, pilot in command (contributing factor) - ground loop/swerve - inadvertent, pilot in command - Nose over, taxi - to takeoff ## Analysis THE PILOT REPORTED THAT AS HE WAS BACK-TAXIING ON THE RUNWAY, AN ABRUPT LEFT TURN WAS INITIATED AS THE PILOT FIRMLY PRESSED THE LEFT BRAKE. THE AIRPLANE BEGAN TO GROUND LOOP AND THE NOSE WENT DOWN. THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED TO NOSE OVER AND CAME TO REST INVERTED. THE PILOT STATED THAT HIS ATTENTION WAS DIVERTED FROM LOOKING OUT THE FRONT OF THE AIRPLANE TO LOOKING OUT THE SIDE WINDOW FOR CHUCK HOLES. THE PILOT WAS NOT AWARE THAT THE TAIL WAS COMING UP UNTIL THE AIRPLANE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF NOSING OVER. ## Factual narrative On August 15, 1995, at 1030 Pacific daylight time, N6854P, a Piper PA-18-150, operated by the owner/pilot, nosed over while taxiing for takeoff near Owyhee, Oregon, and was substantially damaged. The commercial pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a visual flight rules flight plan was filed. The personal flight was conducted under 14 CFR 91. In a written statement, the pilot reported that he had successfully performed two previous landings on the dirt airstrip. After the third landing, the pilot stated that he back-taxied approximately 600 feet to the high point on the airstrip and made an abrupt left turn by firmly pressing the left brake. The pilot reported that the airplane began to ground loop and that the nose was slowly going down. The airplane continued nosing over and came to rest inverted. During a telephone conversation with a Federal Aviation Administration Aviation Safety Inspector from the Boise, Idaho, Flight Standards Field Office, the pilot reported that his attention was diverted from looking forward to looking out the side of the airplane for chuck holes during the turning maneuver. The pilot stated that he was not aware that the tail was coming up until the airplane was in the process of nosing over. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N6854P](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N6854P-2012-07-16), registration cancelled 2012-07-16, S/N 18-7447, built 1960 (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 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 18-7447 - Engines: LYCOMING O-360-C2F 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Fortune, Jeffrey L. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, August 26, 1994, 70 hours before - Flight plan: VFR - Airport: 28U, Owyhee Reservoir State, runway 30, 1,840 × 30 ft, dirt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 52; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine sea, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: front; flight hours: 643 total, 150 in this make and model, 544 as pilot in command, 54 in the last 90 days, 52 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: variable at 7 knots - Visibility: 50 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 75 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg ## 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 19950815046969A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19950815046969A), Aug 15, 1995: Piper PA18150, Owyhee, OR, Substantial damage. Ground looped and nosed over back taxiing on dirt strip. Failed to note tail coming up. ## Other investigations on N6854P (2) 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. - [NTSB LAX05FA029](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX05FA029), Nov 6, 2004: Piper PA-18-150 (N6854P), Mesa, AZ, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: the pilot's failure to obtain and maintain an adequate airspeed during the takeoff initial climb, which resulted in a stall/spin. - [NTSB DEN86LA021](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN86LA021), Nov 10, 1985: Piper PA-18-150 (N6854P), Buffalo, SD, substantial damage 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.