No fatalities

26 Jan 2014: PIPER PA 18-150 A150 — Willcox, AZ

Willcox, AZ, United States

On 26 Jan 2014, a PIPER PA 18-150 A150 was involved in an aviation accident near Willcox, AZ. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's decision to land off airport on unsuitable terrain that resulted in a collision with hidden objects. 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 hunting and camping trip, a pilot landed in an open area with tall grass. During rollout, the left main landing gear struck a large boulder hidden in the grass, causing the gear to collapse and damaging the wing.

Accident Overview

A pilot and his father were on a trip to camp and hunt at a remote location. The pilot performed three passes over an open area to assess a suitable landing spot. The grass in the area was described as being knee-to-hip height; the pilot considered the landing safe despite the tall vegetation.

Pilot's Account

The pilot set up for landing and during the landing rollout, at an estimated speed of 20-30 knots, the left main landing gear wheel struck a large, embedded boulder that was not visible due to the grass cover. The impact caused the left main landing gear to collapse.

Damage

The airplane's wing sustained substantial damage as a result of the gear collapse. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane.

Additional Details

The purpose of the flight was to access the location for camping and hunting. The pilot's father was also on board. No other factors were reported.

Contributing factors

Causes

Pilot

Other contributing factors

Contributed to outcome