No fatalities

7 Sep 2009: PIPER PA-18-150 — DALRYMPLE LARRY E — Fairbanks, AK

Fairbanks, AK, United States

On 7 Sep 2009, a PIPER PA-18-150 operated by DALRYMPLE LARRY E was involved in an aviation accident near Fairbanks, AK. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: A tailwheel malfunction that limited directional control, which resulted in a runway excursion, and collision with a building. 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

During a personal cross-country flight, an airplane drifted left during landing roll on a private airstrip. Right rudder and brake inputs did not correct the drift, causing the airplane to exit the runway and strike a building with its right wing. The pilot reported substantial damage to the wing leading edge and rear spar.

Accident Details

The accident occurred during the landing roll of a personal cross-country flight conducted under Title 14, CFR Part 91. The pilot reported that the airplane began drifting left while on the runway of a private airstrip. Despite applying right rudder and right brake, the drift could not be corrected, and the airplane exited the runway in a left turn.

As the airplane left the runway, its right wing struck a building adjacent to the runway. The pilot stated that the impact caused substantial damage to the wing's leading edge and the rear wing spar. No other damage was reported.

Post-Accident Inspection

After the accident, an FAA-certificated aviation mechanic examined the airplane. According to the pilot, the mechanic informed him that the tailwheel had malfunctioned and would not turn to the right. The pilot indicated that there were no known mechanical problems with the airplane prior to the accident.

Contributing factors

MalfunctionAttain/maintain not possible