On 3 Aug 2008, a Piper PA-18-150 operated by Michael Mitchell was involved in an aviation accident near Wall, SD. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot failed to maintain control of the aircraft during the landing, with wind shear acting as a contributing factor. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
A Piper Super Cub struck terrain while the pilot was attempting to land on a sand bar.
What happened
On August 3, 2008, a Piper PA-18-150, registration N5951Z, was involved in an accident near Wall, South Dakota. The pilot was attempting to land the aircraft on a sand bar and performed three passes over the area to determine if the location was suitable for landing. During the final landing approach, the aircraft encountered wind shear and impacted the terrain.
There were two injuries resulting from the accident, consisting of one serious injury and one minor injury. No fatalities were reported.
Probable cause
The pilot failed to maintain control of the aircraft during the landing, with wind shear acting as a contributing factor.