- Date
- August 25, 2011, 10:30 local (16:30 UTC)
- Place
- Mile Hi Landing Strip, ID
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N727WWTubbs S/Performance PA-18 225DD
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Landing gear collapse
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 27, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20110825024749A
- Case key
- 81721
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 collapse of the left landing gear during landing for undetermined reasons.
Findings · 1
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The left landing gear collapsed during landing on a remote grass/turf airstrip. After the landing gear collapsed, the airplane veered to the left and impacted a tree. The pilot stated that there were no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies with the airplane during the flight. The reason for the landing gear collapse was not determined.
Factual narrative
On August 25, 2011, at 1030 mountain daylight time, a Tubbs S/Performance Air PA-18 225DD, N727WW, landing gear collapsed during landing at Mile Hi Landing Strip, Idaho. The private pilot operated the airplane under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The pilot was not injured, and the airplane was substantially damaged. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The flight originated at Big Creek, Idaho, at 1000. The pilot stated that the left-hand landing gear collapsed during landing on runway 19 at Mile Hi Landing Strip. After the landing gear collapsed, the airplane veered to the left and impacted a tree. The landing strip was an unimproved grass/turf strip located in a remote area. The pilot stated that the airplane and engine had no mechanical failures or malfunctions during the flight.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N727WW
- Reported as
- Tubbs S/Performance PA-18 225DD
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- PA-0204
- Airframe hours
- 675
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-C4P, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- John Gregory
- Registered owner
- Puddlejumpers LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · July 6, 2011
- Departed
- KU60 · Yellow Pine, ID
- Destination
- Mile High Ranch, ID
- Airport
- Mile Hi, runway 19, 1,100 × 75 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
- 71
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- November 4, 2010
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 6,170 total · 2,170 in this make and model · 6,170 as pilot in command · 67 in the last 90 days · 34 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 64 °F
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 22, 2011, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.7 MB in all.
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 N727WW · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.