Piper PA 18-180 N66898

Summary

On 25 August 2016 at about 19:00 local time, a Piper PA 18-180 registered N66898, operated by Big Q Aviation, was involved in an accident near Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States. One person was 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

25 August 2016 at 19:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States

Nearest airport

Usaf Academy Afld (AFF)

Coordinates

38.9733, -104.8200

Aircraft

Piper PA 18-180

Registration

N66898

Category

Airplane

Year built

1975

Engines

1

Operator

Big Q Aviation

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Glider Tow

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Colorado Springs → Colorado Springs

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN16LA348

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control after encountering a wind gust during the landing roll, which resulted in a ground loop.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot had completed a local glider tow operation and was landing at an airfield at the base of the mountains. He indicated that, after touchdown and the landing roll, a "large gust of wind" came from the right side of the airplane and lifted the right wing. The pilot stated that, to regain directional control, he applied rudder, lowered the tailwheel, and applied pressure to both wheel brakes. He indicated that the left brake grabbed "more efficiently" than the right brake, which caused the airplane to exit the runway and ground loop. The right wing contacted the ground. A postaccident examination of the tailwheel revealed no mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Although the weather information for the airfield shortly before the accident did not note wind gusts, given the pilot's statement and the surrounding mountainous terrain, it is likely that the pilot lost directional control after encountering a wind gust during the landing roll.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.