On July 15, 1998, a Piper PA-22-160 (registration N9199D) was involved in an aviation accident near Pacific City, OR. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's improper compensation for wind conditions (landing with a tail wind.) Related factors were tail wind conditions, a short runway, and diminished brake system effectiveness. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A pilot reported that during landing to the northwest, the wind shifted to a tailwind at touchdown. The brakes faded, and with inadequate runway remaining, he intentionally swerved the airplane, which flipped over.
Incident Overview
A pilot reported an accident during a landing attempt on a 1,875-foot-long runway oriented northeast/southwest. The pilot was landing to the northwest when the wind shifted from a quartering headwind to a tailwind at touchdown.
Pilot Account
The pilot stated that he attempted heavy braking but that the brakes faded to “nothing.” He said that he had inadequate runway remaining to stop or to go around with obstacle clearance, so he intentionally swerved the airplane. The airplane then flipped over.
Post-Accident Inspection
An FAA inspector who responded to the scene and examined the aircraft’s brakes reported that he found the brakes to be functional.
Weather and Runway
Weather stations in the area reported southerly to southwesterly winds at 5 to 18 knots at the reported time of the accident. The single northeast/southwest runway at the unattended airport can be landed on in either direction, with the runway threshold displaced 300 feet for landings to the southeast.