Piper PA 18-150 N82912

Summary

On 18 August 2017 at about 16:45 local time, a Piper PA 18-150 registered N82912, operated by Usda-Aphis-Ws, was involved in an accident near Sweetwater, Texas, 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

18 August 2017 at 16:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Sweetwater, Texas, United States

Nearest airport

Avenger Field Airport (SWW)

Coordinates

32.4717, -100.4692

Aircraft

Piper PA 18-150

Registration

N82912

Category

Airplane

Year built

1977

Engines

1

Operator

Usda-Aphis-Ws

Operating rule

Public Use

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Winston Field → Sweetwater

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN17LA324

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing and the overstress failure of the right main landing gear.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane stated that he intended to make a wheel landing with the flaps fully extended following the positioning flight. He stated that he felt a "little bump" shortly after the airplane touched down on the right main landing gear (MLG), and the airplane began to swerve left. The pilot reported that he was unable to regain directional control with full right rudder and right brake inputs. The airplane continued to swerve left and departed the left runway edge; the right MLG collapsed after it entered soft terrain. The airplane came to rest heading about 180° opposite the intended runway heading. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing, both main wing spars, and the right elevator. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed several damaged MLG components. Laboratory examination of the damaged MLG components did not identify any evidence of preexisting damage or cracks. The damaged MLG brace tubes and the piston inside the right hydrasorb shock unit had fractured from overstress. The overall damage to the MLG was consistent with a hard landing. It is likely that the internal piston shaft of the right hydrasorb shock unit failed first in bending overstress during the hard landing, which was followed by the overstress failure of both the left and right MLG brace tubes.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.