Piper PA 18 N1890A

Summary

On 29 February 2020 at about 18:00 local time, a Piper PA 18 registered N1890A was involved in an accident near Santa Barbara, California, United States. One person was 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

29 February 2020 at 18:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Santa Barbara, California, United States

Nearest airport

Private (N/A)

Coordinates

34.5747, -119.6086

Aircraft

Piper PA 18

Registration

N1890A

Category

Airplane

Year built

1952

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Santa Ynez → Santa Ynez

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR20CA105

1 person had minor injuries.

The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed during the approach, which resulted in a rapid descent rate, hard landing, and nose-over.  

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that, during the landing approach to a ridgeline airstrip, he deployed full flaps and descended to the touchdown point. About 15 ft above ground level, the airplane started to descend, which he failed to recognize and arrest. The pilot added that the approach speed was also a little too slow for the unstable air, which likely increased the descent rate. Subsequently, the airplane touched down hard short of the touchdown point, nosed over, and came to rest inverted. The left wing and empennage were substantially damaged. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.