Piper PA 18A 150 N7860D

Summary

On 4 June 2015 at about 15:55 local time, a Piper PA 18A 150 registered N7860D, operated by Walla Walla University, was involved in an accident near Hay, Washington, 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

4 June 2015 at 15:55

Classification

Accident

Location

Hay, Washington, United States

Coordinates

46.6044, -117.8756

Aircraft

Piper PA 18A 150

Registration

N7860D

Category

Airplane

Year built

1957

Engines

1

Operator

Walla Walla University

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Starbuck → Hay

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

GAA15CA107

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's and flight instructor's improper brake application during the landing roll. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor's failure to make a positive transfer of controls.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The rated pilot and flight instructor were practicing off airport landings in unimproved areas in the tailwheel equipped airplane. After two evaluation passes, the pilot landed. The pilot reported that during the rollout the airplane had oscillations around the lateral axis and the pilot applied the brakes. The flight instructor also applied brake pressure during the landing roll. The airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to right wing strut, vertical stabilizer, and rudder. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported the accident may have been avoidable with better communication and transfer of controls with the flight instructor.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.