LAX89LA105

1989-02-08 · FLAGSTAFF, Arizona, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport FLG

Aircraft involved

N9007S Piper PA-18 None

Probable cause & findings

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN PROPER RUNWAY ALIGNMENT WHILE EXPEDITING TO EXIT THE RUNWAY. HIS LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN THIS TYPE OF AIRCRAFT, SELF-INDUCED PRESSURE & THE SNOW COVERED TERRAIN WERE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.

Factual narrative

THE PLT RPRTD THAT WHEN HE WAS ON FINAL APCH TO LAND, THERE WAS A LEARJET BEHIND HIM ON A 5 MILE FINAL APCH. HE STATED THAT HE MADE A NORMAL LANDING, THEN STEERED LEFT TOWARD THE 'TAXIWAY SIDE' OF THE RWY TO EXPEDITE OFF THE RWY. HOWEVER, AFTER REACHING THE LEFT SIDE, HE WAS UNABLE TO ALIGN THE ACFT BACK ON THE RWY HEADING & ELECTED TO CONTINUE OFF THE RWY, RATHER THAN RISK GROUND LOOPING THE ACFT. AFTER DEPARTING THE RWY, THE ACFT ENTERED SNOW & NOSED OVER. NO MECH MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE WAS RPRTD. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1989_LAX89LA105.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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