On 22 May 2016, a PIPER PA18 135 was involved in an aviation accident near Seward, AK. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot receiving instruction's failure to maintain proper airspeed and descent rate, and the flight instructor's delayed remedial action during the landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing and landing gear collapse. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
During an instructional flight, the airplane experienced a hard landing on short final after headwind dissipated, causing the main landing gear to collapse and substantial fuselage damage.
Incident Overview
A flight instructor reported that during an instructional flight, while the airplane was on short final approach, the prevailing headwind dissipated. This caused the airplane to slow and begin to sink. The instructor directed the pilot receiving instruction (seated in the front seat) to add power, but she did not complete the action immediately. Upon recognizing the delayed response, the flight instructor added full power himself. However, the airplane continued to descend at an accelerated rate and subsequently touched down hard upon landing.
Damage and Aftermath
The impact of the hard landing caused the main landing gear to collapse. The fuselage sustained substantial damage as a result. The flight instructor reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation before or during the incident.
Contributing factors
Student/instructed pilotInstructor/check pilotAirspeed — Not attained/maintainedDescent rate — Not attained/maintained