# NTSB WPR23LA139: Fiedler Mark R PA-18 Replica, N127MF, Sandy Valley, NV, March 12, 2023 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: March 12, 2023, 15:30 local (22:30 UTC) - Place: Sandy Valley, NV · off airport - packed gravel/sand - Coordinates: 35.89474, -115.76298 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.8947&lon=-115.7630&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-landing roll: Nose over/nose down](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 106947 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR23LA139 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/106947/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=106947 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR23LA139 ## Probable cause The pilot’s failure to maintain airplane control during an off airport precautionary landing on soft soil, which resulted in a nose over. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Fiedler Mark R PA-18 REPLICA, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=056384A), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface: soft surface](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03023020): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Effect on equipment (probable cause); cases with it: [Fiedler Mark R PA-18 REPLICA, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03023020/cases.md?model=056384A), [All aircraft, 264 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03023020/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-landing roll: Nose over/nose down](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096) (defining event); cases with it: [Fiedler Mark R PA-18 REPLICA, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md?model=056384A), [All aircraft, 2,287 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md) - [Enroute: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Fiedler Mark R PA-18 REPLICA, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=056384A), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that, during cruise flight, he observed an increase of cylinder head temperature along with “abnormal engine operation” and decided to make a precautionary landing, off airport. During the landing roll in the tailwheel equipped airplane, the right main tire “sunk” in the soil and the tail of the airplane began to rise. Despite the pilot’s control inputs, the tail continued to rise, and the airplane nosed over coming to rest inverted. The vertical stabilizer and rudder were substantially damaged. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N127MF](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N127MF), registered now, S/N JA1906132, built 2021 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: FIEDLER MARK R PA-18 REPLICA - Registry model: [Fiedler Mark R PA-18 REPLICA](https://openairdocs.org/model/fiedler-mark-r-pa-18-replica) (registry code 056384A) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG](https://openairdocs.org/engine/amateur-built-unknown-eng) (registry code 99999) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: JA1906132 - Year built: 2021 - Airframe hours: 155 - Engines: Titan OX-360 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Condition, February 22, 2023, 10 hours before - Departed: 3L2, Sandy Valley, NV - Destination: KVGT, Las Vegas, NV - Equipment: Auto-pilot, ADS-B, Electronic multifunction display ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 60; injuries: none; airline transport, commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine sea, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review August 10, 2022; seat: front; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 23,000 total, 700 in this make and model, 15,000 as pilot in command, 300 in the last 90 days, 70 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 70 °F, dew point 34 °F - Altimeter: 3000.00 inHg - Observed at: KHND, 27 nm away - METAR: KHND 122056Z 00000KT 10SM CLR 21/01 A3000 ## 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 20230312002189A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230312002189A), Mar 12, 2023: Fiedler Mark R PA-18 REPLICA, Sandy Valley, NV, Substantial damage. On 3-12-2023 at approximately 15:30 local time, [privacy data omitted] PA-18 replica expiremental aircraft conducted an off airport precautionary landing, on… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 27, 2023, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=106947. 3.4 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 2.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15303385&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=WPR23LA139_6120_flat_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Photos (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 747 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15305884&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=WPR23LA139_photo_508_redacted-Rel.pdf 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.