- Date
- February 29, 2020, 10:00 local (18:00 UTC)
- Place
- Santa Barbara, CA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N1890APiper PA 18
- Defining event
- Landing: Hard landing
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 29, 2020
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20200229003769A
- Case key
- 101056
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 adequate airspeed during the approach, which resulted in a rapid descent rate, hard landing, and nose-over.
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 reported that, during the landing approach to a ridgeline airstrip, he deployed full flaps and descended to the touchdown point. About 15 ft above ground level, the airplane started to descend, which he failed to recognize and arrest. The pilot added that the approach speed was also a little too slow for the unstable air, which likely increased the descent rate. Subsequently, the airplane touched down hard short of the touchdown point, nosed over, and came to rest inverted. The left wing and empennage were substantially damaged. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that during the landing approach to a ridgeline airstrip, he deployed full wing flaps and descended to the touchdown point. About 15 ft above ground level, the airplane encountered a sink that he failed to recognize and arrest. The pilot further remarked that the approach speed was also a little too slow for the unstable air which likely increased the rate of descent. The airplane touched down hard, short of the touchdown point, and nosed over, coming to rest inverted. The left wing and empennage were substantially damaged. The pilot reported no mechanical anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1890A
- Reported as
- Piper PA 18 (125)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-1723
- Built
- 1952
- Airframe hours
- 5,267
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235 SERIES, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 7, 2020 · 8 hours before
- Departed
- IZA · Santa Ynez, CA
- Destination
- IZA · Santa Ynez, CA
- Airport
- N/A · Private
- Equipment
- Handheld GPS, ADS-B, Onboard weather
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
- 48
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 20, 2019
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 1,400 total · 700 in this make and model · 1,400 as pilot in command · 30 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point 57 °F
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 31, 2020, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.3 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.