No fatalities

21 Aug 2015: PIPER PA 18-150 — LOW & SLOW AVIATION VENTURES LLC — LaBelle, FL

LaBelle, FL, United States

On 21 Aug 2015, a PIPER PA 18-150 operated by LOW & SLOW AVIATION VENTURES LLC was involved in an aviation accident near LaBelle, FL. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's selection of unsuitable terrain for landing, which resulted in a nose over and impact with terrain. 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 tailwheel-equipped airplane nosed over during a grass landing adjacent to a paved runway after hitting standing water, causing substantial damage to the rudder, horizontal stabilizer, and left wing strut.

Accident Details

The pilot of a tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that the landing took place on grass adjacent to a paved runway. After touchdown, during the landing roll, the airplane encountered a low spot in the runway that contained approximately 3 to 4 inches of standing water. The wheels dug into the terrain, causing the airplane to nosed over and come to rest inverted.

Aircraft Damage

The accident resulted in substantial damage to the aircraft. Specifically, the rudder, horizontal stabilizer, and left wing strut were affected.

Pilot Report

The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. Additionally, the pilot noted that he should make it standard practice to perform an inspection pass of the runway whenever landing on turf to determine the runway's condition.

Contributing factors

Causes

PilotPerformance/control parameters — Not attained/maintained

Other contributing factors

Contributed to outcome