- Date
- April 13, 2014, 11:00 local (17:00 UTC)
- Place
- Browning, MT
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N7884DPiper PA 18S-150
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 5, 2014
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20140413004699A
- Case key
- 89107
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 during the landing roll which resulted in a veer off the airstrip and collision with a ditch.
Findings · 3
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 pilot stated that after the approximate one hour flight, she configured the airplane for a 3-point, short field landing. She was planning to land on the airstrip that slopes uphill towards the east, with shallow ditches on either side. After touchdown, the airplane rolled about 90 feet and began to veer to the left of the center. Despite her attempts to correct with right rudder, the airplane did not respond. The pilot added engine power in an effort to increase the airflow over the tail and the airplane immediately veered right to about a 70 degree angle across the narrow strip. She subsequently added full power in an effort to abort the landing since the airplane was nearing the down slope of the ditch. The right main gear hit the far side of the ditch and she retarded the throttle and brought the airplane to a stop. During the accident sequence, the airplane incurred structural damage to the gearbox. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot stated that after the approximate one hour flight, she configured the airplane for a 3-point, short field landing. She was planning to land on the airstrip that slopes uphill towards the east, with shallow ditches on either side. After touchdown, the airplane rolled about 90 feet and began to veer to the left of the center. Despite her attempts to correct with right rudder, the airplane did not respond. The pilot added engine power in an effort to increase the airflow over the tail and the airplane immediately veered right to about a 70 degree angle across the narrow strip. She subsequently added full power in an effort to abort the landing since the airplane was nearing the down slope of the ditch. The right main gear hit the far side of the ditch and she retarded the throttle and brought the airplane to a stop. During the accident sequence, the airplane incurred structural damage to the gearbox. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7884D
- Reported as
- Piper PA 18S-150 (150)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-6044
- Built
- 1954
- Airframe hours
- 3,870
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-A2B, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 9, 2014
- Departed
- 53U · Ferndale, MT
- Destination
- 8S0 · Browning, MT
- Airport
- 8S0 · Starr-Browning Airstrip, runway 06, 4,051 × 74 ft, gravel
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
- 47
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 928 total · 516 in this make and model · 828 as pilot in command · 22 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 45° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 27, 2014, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 225 KB 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 N7884D · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.