Piper PA-18-135 N9952Q

Summary

On 2 January 2012 at about 19:50 local time, a Piper PA-18-135 registered N9952Q, operated by Jimmy K. Adelman, was involved in an accident near Del Norte, Colorado, 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

2 January 2012 at 19:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Del Norte, Colorado, United States

Nearest airport

Del Norte Kent Rominger Field (8V1)

Coordinates

37.7025, -106.3517

Aircraft

Piper PA-18-135

Registration

N9952Q

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Jimmy K. Adelman

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Del Norte → Del Norte

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN12CA132

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's loss of directional control during the landing roll, which resulted in a runway excursion. Contributing to the accident were the sensitivity of the brake system and the certified flight instructor pilot's delayed remedial action.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot, who held a private pilot certificate, was receiving dual instruction from a certified flight instructor (CFI) to become familiar with his newly acquired tailwheel-equipped airplane. After practicing some standard flight maneuvers at altitude, the pilot returned to the departure airport to practice full stop landings and takeoffs. The CFI demonstrated the first landing, and then the pilot performed the next four landings and takeoffs with the CFI monitoring the controls and providing assistance when necessary. The CFI stated that the pilot's first landing was normal, the second landing required minor directional control assistance, the third landing required no assistance, and the fourth landing required some assistance from the base leg to final approach but the landing and roll were normal. On the fifth landing, the pilot made a nice three-point touchdown and rolled straight ahead. During the landing roll, the airplane suddenly swerved to the right and the CFI noticed that the pilot had already applied full left corrective rudder. The CFI then applied the left brake, but the application was ineffective. He then applied right brake to slow the airplane's pending departure off the runway. The airplane nosed over and came to rest in a snow bank that was bordering the runway. The top of the rudder sustained substantial damage. The airplane was equipped with a supplemental type certificate non-standard brake system. The CFI stated that, when he had ferried the airplane, he noted that the brake system was extremely sensitive. The CFI stated that he told the pilot early in his instruction that the use of the brakes should be avoided in normal operations due to their sensitivity. The CFI stated that he believes that the sensitivity of the brake system was a causal factor in the accident.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.