# NTSB WPR24LA187: Piper PA-18-150, N40561, Garrett, WY, June 7, 2024 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: June 7, 2024, 05:55 local (11:55 UTC) - Place: Garrett, WY · remote open terrain - Coordinates: 42.168102, -105.92906 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.1681&lon=-105.9291&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Low altitude operation/event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/220) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor, 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): 194432 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR24LA187 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/194432/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=194432 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR24LA187 ## Probable cause The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from terrain while conducting low-level altitude operations, following an encounter with wake turbulence. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Performance/control parameters: altitude](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062012): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-18-150, 7 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062012/cases.md?model=7101828), [All aircraft, 1,310 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062012/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: use of equip/system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-18-150, 20 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015/cases.md?model=7101828), [All aircraft, 1,391 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015/cases.md) - [Turbulence: wake turbulence](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032025): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-18-150, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032025/cases.md?model=7101828), [All aircraft, 47 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032025/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Low altitude operation/event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/220) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-18-150, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/220/sequence.md?model=7101828), [All aircraft, 780 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/220/sequence.md) - [Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240); cases with it: [Piper PA-18-150, 41 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=7101828), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) - [Maneuvering: Attempted remediation/recovery](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060); cases with it: [Piper PA-18-150, 18 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md?model=7101828), [All aircraft, 1,422 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md) - [Maneuvering: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Piper PA-18-150, 115 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=7101828), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that during an animal damage control mission, while maneuvering at a low altitude over wildlife, the airplane encountered “rough, disturbed air,” which he counteracted by leveling the wings pushing the nose down slightly. As the airplane began to fly out of the disturbed air, it encountered disturbed air a second time, which the pilot leveled the wings and moved the [control] stick to neutral due to the close proximity of the ground and sink rate. Subsequently the airplane impacted the ground and came to rest inverted. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N40561](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N40561-2024-07-17), registration cancelled 2024-07-17, S/N 18-7509128, built 1975 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA-18-150 - Registry model: [Piper PA-18-150](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-18-150) (registry code 7101828) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 18-7509128 - Year built: 1975 - Airframe hours: 10164 - Engines: Lycoming O-360-C4P 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Other work use, Public use - Operator: United States Department Of Agriculture - Registered owner: United States Department Of Agriculture - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, April 17, 2024, 49 hours before - Departed: CPR, Casper, WY - Flight plan: Company VFR - Airport: NA - Equipment: ADS-B ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 48; injuries: minor; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review November 30, 2023; seat: front; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 7,272 total, 668 in this make and model, 7,095 as pilot in command, 122 in the last 90 days, 34 in the last 30 days, 5 in the last 24 hours - Other flight crew; injuries: none; seat: center; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 0 total, 0 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: variable at 2 knots ## 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 20240607007099A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20240607007099A), Jun 7, 2024: Piper PA-18-150, Medicine Bow, WY, Destroyed. While manuvering at low altitude aircraft encountered disturbed air such as a micro-burst. This caused the aircraft's tail to contact the ground flipping the… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 6, 2025, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=194432. 3.1 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 2.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18048091&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Photos (item 2, PDF, 4 pages, 873 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17319859&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=WPR24LA187%20Photos-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.