Piper PA-18-160 N226P

Summary

On 14 February 2004 at about 18:38 local time, a Piper PA-18-160 registered N226P was involved in an accident near Naples, Florida, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

14 February 2004 at 18:38

Classification

Accident

Location

Naples, Florida, United States

Nearest airport

Naples Muni (APF)

Coordinates

26.1525, -81.7750

Aircraft

Piper PA-18-160

Registration

N226P

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Marathon → Naples

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC04LA023

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's inadequate compensation for a crosswind condition during landing, which resulted in a loss of control and an on-ground encounter with terrain. Factors associated with the accident were a crosswind, and an inadvertent ground loop.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The private certificated pilot reported that he was landing on runway 23, which required a correction for a left crosswind. The pilot stated that at touchdown, a strong gust of wind lifted the left wing, and the airplane subsequently ground looped to the right. During the ground loop, the right wing and right aileron struck the surface of the runway and sustained structural damage. At 1338, an Aviation Routine Weather Report (METAR) was reporting the wind as 180 degrees (true) at 15 knots, with peak gusts of 22 knots.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.