No fatalities

21 Mar 2009: PIPER PA-18-150 — Derek J. Craighead — Jackson, WY

Jackson, WY, United States

On 21 Mar 2009, a PIPER PA-18-150 operated by Derek J. Craighead was involved in an aviation accident near Jackson, WY. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

A pilot experienced a ground loop while correcting for crosswind after landing on runway 19, causing the right main landing gear to fail and the right wing spar to bend.

Incident Summary

A pilot reported that after touching down on runway 19, a crosswind caused the aircraft to drift to the right. In response, the pilot applied left rudder to realign the aircraft with the runway centerline. The left turn subsequently accelerated into a ground loop.

Sequence of Events

Following the ground loop, the right main landing gear failed. The right wing tip then contacted the runway surface, resulting in the right wing spar being bent. The pilot did not report any preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures.

Damage

The aircraft sustained damage to the right main landing gear, which failed, as well as structural damage to the right wing, including a bent wing spar. The right wing tip also made contact with the runway.

Contributing factors

PilotDirectional control — Not attained/maintained