Piper PA 18 N4420Z

Summary

On 18 June 2017 at about 15:30 local time, a Piper PA 18 registered N4420Z was involved in an accident near Red Bluff, California, United States. One person was 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

18 June 2017 at 15:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Red Bluff, California, United States

Coordinates

40.1117, -122.1361

Aircraft

Piper PA 18

Registration

N4420Z

Category

Airplane

Year built

1968

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Red Bluff → Red Bluff

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

GAA17CA352

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s failure to maintain pitch control during the landing roll in gusting wind conditions, which resulted in a nose-over.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, during the landing roll on a gravel bar in gusting wind, the "tail seemed to pick up from the wind." Subsequently, the airplane nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the empennage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The automated weather observation station located about 6 nautical miles west of the accident site reported that, about 36 minutes before the accident, the wind was from 340° at 14 knots, gusting to 22 knots. The same weather observation station reported that, about 24 minutes after the accident, the wind was from 360° at 19 knots, gusting to 26 knots. The airplane was landing to the north.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.