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WPR14CA342

2014-07-21 · Phoenix, Arizona, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport DVT

Current FAA registration · N3997Z

Make / Model
PIPER PA-18-150
Year of manufacture
1963 · 51 years old at event
Engine
LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES (180 hp)
Seats / Engines
2 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
20090827
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A4A79D

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll in variable wind conditions, resulting in a ground-loop.

Factual narrative

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. 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. 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
  • — Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Wind-Variable wind-Effect on operation

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2014_WPR14CA342.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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