Piper PA 18-150 N41594

Summary

On 7 December 2014 at about 17:45 local time, a Piper PA 18-150 registered N41594, operated by Butler John P, was involved in an accident near Minocqua, Wisconsin, United States. 2 people were on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

7 December 2014 at 17:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Minocqua, Wisconsin, United States

Nearest airport

Lakeland/Lee Memorial Field (ARV)

Coordinates

45.9281, -89.7308

Aircraft

Piper PA 18-150

Registration

N41594

Category

Airplane

Year built

1994

Engines

1

Operator

Butler John P

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Minocqua → Minocqua

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN15CA071

1 person had minor injuries.

The pilot did not maintain directional control of the airplane during the landing flare when a sudden wind shift occurred.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that he was attempting to land on runway 18 while the wind was 170 degrees at 11 knots, gusting to 21 knots. He explained that he attempted a three-point landing instead of a wheel landing because the airplane was equipped with "wheel-penetration skis." During the flare, the pilot observed that snow began blowing directly across the runway just ahead of the airplane. The airplane subsequently drifted to the right. The pilot corrected with rudder and aileron inputs and the airplane still drifted right. He decided to initiate a go-around. As he applied power in an attempted to fly out of the gusting crosswind, the right wing dropped. The ski-equipped right main gear collapsed when it impacted the snow with a side load. The right wing tip then contacted the snow and the airplane sustained substantial wing spar and firewall damage when it cartwheeled on its right wing tip, nose, left wing tip, and then balanced on its nose. The pilot reported that there were no airplane mechanical malfunctions during the accident flight.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.