No fatalities

5 Aug 2010: PIPER PA-18-150 — Watkins, CO

Watkins, CO, United States

On 5 Aug 2010, a PIPER PA-18-150 was involved in an aviation accident near Watkins, CO. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during the landing, resulting in a ground-loop. 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

The pilot reported a gust of wind during landing on runway 8, causing the airplane to become airborne again. Upon subsequent touchdown, the right main landing gear collapsed and the right wing struck the ground, substantially damaging the wing spar.

Overview

An accident occurred during a landing on runway 8 when the airplane encountered a gust of wind. The pilot's written statement described the sequence of events, and an examination by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector found no mechanical anomalies.

Pilot's Account

According to the pilot's written statement, the airplane was landing on runway 8 when it encountered a gust of wind. The pilot made a correction for the gust, which caused the airplane to become airborne again. When the airplane subsequently touched down, it began to rotate to the left. The right main landing gear then collapsed, and the right wing impacted the ground. As a result, the right wing spar sustained substantial damage.

Investigation Findings

An FAA inspector examined the airplane and its related systems. The inspection revealed no anomalies. The pilot stated that there were no mechanical anomalies with the airplane at the time of the accident.

The accident resulted in substantial damage to the right wing spar. No other damage items were specified.

Conclusion

The accident sequence involved a gust of wind during landing, a subsequent go-around or bounce, and a left rotation leading to right main landing gear collapse and right wing ground impact. No mechanical issues were found.

Contributing factors

PilotPerformance/control parameters — Not attained/maintained