- Date
- May 18, 2014, 16:00 local (23:00 UTC)
- Place
- Arlington, WA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N7474DPiper PA 18A
- Defining event
- Taxi-from runway: Nose over/nose down
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 18, 2014
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Case key
- 89287
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 improper application of brakes during taxi in tailwind conditions, which resulted in a loss of aircraft control and subsequent nose over.
Findings · 4
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 while taxing the tailwheel equipped airplane, the slight crosswind became a tail wind. Both he and his passenger may have both hit the brakes at the same time, which resulted in the airplane nosing over and substantially damaging the tail. There was no report of a preimpact mechanical malfunction or failure that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot stated that while taxing the tailwheel equipped airplane, the slight crosswind became a tail wind. Both he and his passenger may have both hit the brakes at the same time, which resulted in the airplane nosing over and substantially damaging the tail. There was no report of a preimpact mechanical malfunction or failure that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7474D
- Reported as
- Piper PA 18A (105SPECIAL)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-5809
- Built
- 1957
- Airframe hours
- 9,246
- Engine
- Lycoming O&VO-360 SER, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Evergreen Soaring Inc
- Registered owner
- Evergreen Soaring Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 24, 2013
- Departed
- KAWO · Arlington, WA
- Destination
- KAWO · Arlington, WA
- Airport
- KAWO · Arlington
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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 62
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 882 total · 1 in this make and model · 755 as pilot in command · 4.9 in the last 90 days · 0 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Co-pilot
- Age
- 69
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Rear
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 1,263 total · 250 in this make and model · 1,072 as pilot in command · 23 in the last 90 days · 11 in the last 30 days · 0.2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 290° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Observed at
- KAWO
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 4, 2014, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.2 MB in all.
Other investigations on N7474D · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.