No fatalities

Loss of Control During Tail Wheel Training Flight at Ecuvillens (HB-PRS)

Ecuvillens Aérodrome (LSGE), FR, CH

On November 30, 2018, a PIPER AIRCRAFT CORPORATION PA-18 (registration HB-PRS) was involved in an aviation accident near Ecuvillens Aérodrome (LSGE), FR, CH. No fatalities were reported. This summary draws on records from the Swiss Transportation Safety Investigation Board (STSB / SUST).

Sourcesthe Swiss Transportation Safety Investigation Board (STSB / SUST)Primary reportUpdated 2026-10-18Data APIEditorial standards

A Piper PA-18 Super Cub (HB-PRS) on a tail wheel training flight lost control during solo landing at Ecuvillens Aerodrome, pivoting left and coming to rest in the grassy strip. The pilot was uninjured and the aircraft slightly damaged.

Aircraft and Pilot Information

The aircraft involved was a Piper PA-18 Super Cub, registration HB-PRS, operated and owned by AéroFormation B.Hanhart SA, Lausanne. The pilot, a Swiss citizen born in 1978, held a Private Pilot License (PPL(A)) issued by the European Aviation Safety Agency and the Swiss Federal Office of Civil Aviation. The pilot had a total of 302 hours and 43 minutes of flight time, with 5 hours and 48 minutes in the previous 90 days. On the accident type, the pilot had 7 hours and 56 minutes total, including 5 hours and 19 minutes in the previous 90 days.

Incident Sequence

On 1 December 2018 at 15:20 local time (UTC+1), the pilot and an instructor departed from Lausanne-La Blécherette Aerodrome (LSGL) for a training flight at Ecuvillens Aerodrome (LSGE) as part of a tail wheel (TW) variant difference course. After a break, they completed three training circuits on runway 27, after which the instructor disembarked. The pilot then performed two solo circuits. During the second solo landing, the pilot lost control of the aircraft on the ground at low speed at the end of the rollout. The aircraft pivoted to the left, executed a 180-degree turn, and came to a stop in the grassy strip separating the runway from the taxiway. The right wingtip contacted the runway asphalt at the beginning of the half-turn.

Damage and Injuries

The aircraft sustained slight damage. No other damage occurred. The pilot was not injured; no passengers were on board.

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 30 Nov 2018 PIPER AIRCRAFT CORPORATION PA-18 accident near Ecuvillens Aérodrome (LSGE), FR, CH?

A Piper PA-18 Super Cub (HB-PRS) on a tail wheel training flight lost control during solo landing at Ecuvillens Aerodrome, pivoting left and coming to rest in the grassy strip. The pilot was uninjured and the aircraft slightly damaged.

Were there any fatalities in the 30 Nov 2018 PIPER AIRCRAFT CORPORATION PA-18 accident?

No fatalities were recorded in this accident.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 30 Nov 2018 involved a PIPER AIRCRAFT CORPORATION PA-18, registration HB-PRS, at Ecuvillens Aérodrome (LSGE), FR, CH.