Summary
On July 21, 2014, a Piper PA 18-150 (N3997Z) was involved in an incident near Phoenix, AZ. All 2 people aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll in variable wind conditions, resulting in a ground-loop.
The pilot was landing the tail-wheel equipped airplane in variable wind conditions, and subsequently touched down with a quartering tailwind. The airplane veered off the runway to the right, ground-looped, and came to rest back on the runway. During the excursion, the airplane impacted a runway sign. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing during the ground-loop. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
This incident is documented in NTSB report WPR14CA342. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N3997Z.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll in variable wind conditions, resulting in a ground-loop.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Current)
Analysis
The pilot was landing the tail-wheel equipped airplane in variable wind conditions, and subsequently touched down with a quartering tailwind. The airplane veered off the runway to the right, ground-looped, and came to rest back on the runway. During the excursion, the airplane impacted a runway sign. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing during the ground-loop. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# WPR14CA342