Skip to content

GAA19CA022

2018-10-14 · Cherry Ridge, Pennsylvania, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport N30

Current FAA registration · N6690D

Make / Model
PIPER PA-18-135
Year of manufacture
1954 · 64 years old at event
Engine
LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES (180 hp)
Seats / Engines
2 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19981113
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A8D804

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing, which resulted in a ground loop.

Factual narrative

The pilot of the tailwheel equipped airplane reported that, after a 3-point landing, during the landing roll, the wind changed direction, lifted the left wing, ­and the airplane ground looped. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing and elevator. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The automated weather observation system located on the airport reported that, about 20 minutes before the accident, the wind was 200º at 7 knots and about 35 minutes after the accident, the wind was 230 at 7 knots. The pilot reported that, at the time of the accident, the wind shifted to a right crosswind. The airplane landed on runway 36. The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, after conducting a three-point landing, during the landing roll, the wind changed direction and lifted the left wing, ­and the airplane ground looped. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing and elevator. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • C Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Directional control-Not attained/maintained - C
  • C Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot - C

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2018_GAA19CA022.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

Search this event elsewhere

External sources are reported, not agency: signal that something happened, not fact about what happened.