Piper PA 18S-150 N7884D

Summary

On 13 April 2014 at about 17:00 local time, a Piper PA 18S-150 registered N7884D was involved in an accident near Browning, Montana, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

13 April 2014 at 17:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Browning, Montana, United States

Nearest airport

Starr-Browning Airstrip (8S0)

Coordinates

48.6011, -113.1153

Aircraft

Piper PA 18S-150

Registration

N7884D

Category

Airplane

Year built

1954

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Ferndale → Browning

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR14CA170

Nobody was injured.

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.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB 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.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.