Event SEA98LA187

Factual narrative

On September 27, 1998, at 1630 pacific daylight time, a Piper PA-16, N5932H, registered to and operated by the pilot as a 14 CFR Part 91 instructional flight, ground-looped and subsequently nosed over while taxiing on the runway at the Rogue Valley International Airport, Medford, Oregon. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The airplane was substantially damaged and the student pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The flight had departed from Ashland, Oregon, about 20 minutes prior to the accident. The student pilot reported that during the landing roll, he was blown over by a United Airlines Boeing 737 that had just landed before him and turning off the runway at taxiway A5. The air traffic controller working the local position reported that the pilot was instructed to make a straight in approach to runway 32, and was cleared to land. When the aircraft was out approximately two miles, the pilot was instructed to go around and sequence in behind a landing United 737 that was two miles behind him. The pilot entered a left downwind to return for landing on runway 32 behind the United 737. The United 737 landed and was instructed to turn off the runway at taxiway A6. The controller stated that the Piper landed about two minutes later and was instructed to taxi, without delay, down the runway and exit at taxiway A5. The controller stated that just after the Piper passed taxiway A4, the pilot appeared to lose control and veered off to the right side of the runway. The airplane appeared to stop suddenly and then nosed over. The United 737 was on the taxiway traveling southbound on the west side of the runway, and abeam taxiway A4, when the accident occurred. The ground controller stated that he observed the airplane touchdown and taxi down the runway. The controller stated that after the airplane passed the intersection of runways 27/9, the pilot appeared to increase the power to the aircraft and the tail came up. The aircraft then made an immediate right turn and ground-looped. The Captain of the United 737 stated that he had exited the runway at taxiway A6 and was taxiing back. The Captain stated that he was abeam the Piper when it veered to the right edge of the runway. The Captain stated that it appeared that the pilot applied the brakes to avoid running off the runway which caused the airplane to nose over. To this date, the pilot has not completed the National Transportation Safety Board Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report form 6120.1/2. After landing, the pilot was instructed to taxi without delay down the runway to exit at a taxiway. Prior to reaching the designated taxiway, the airplane was observed to veer to the right and ground-loop. The airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted. The pilot stated that the Boeing 737 that landed just before him had blown him over as it was turning off the runway. Witnesses reported that the Boeing 737 had already landed two minutes before, and was taxiing back on the taxiway when the aircraft landed. The Boeing 737 was abeam the aircraft when it veered off the runway and ground looped. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12