No fatalities

27 Oct 2018: Piper PA18 150 — Denver, CO

Denver, CO, United States

On 27 Oct 2018, a Piper PA18 150 was involved in an aviation accident near Denver, CO. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during landing in gusting wind conditions. 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 landing on an asphalt runway, a tailwheel airplane with 26-inch bush wheels veered left after the pilot aborted due to a crosswind shift. The right main landing gear collapsed and the right wing struck the ground, causing substantial damage to the wing and elevator.

Incident Narrative

The pilot under instruction was operating a tailwheel airplane equipped with 26-inch bush wheels. During the approach to the asphalt runway, the pilot observed indications of a head wind. Upon touchdown on the main wheels, the windsock shifted, indicating a direct left crosswind. Just before the tailwheel touched down, the left wing lifted. The pilot slowly added power to abort the landing. The airplane then veered to the left, the right main landing gear collapsed, and the right wing struck the ground. The airplane exited the left side of the runway.

Aircraft Damage

The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing and the elevator.

Weather Conditions

The automated surface observing system at the airport reported that about the time of the incident, the wind was from 280° at 25 knots and gusting to 30 knots.

Pilot Report

The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Contributing factors

Directional control — Not attained/maintainedEffect on operationStudent/instructed pilot