Piper PA18 N726

Summary

On 7 March 2019 at about 15:35 local time, a Piper PA18 registered N726, operated by Larsons Flying Service, was involved in an accident near Wyndmere, North Dakota, 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

7 March 2019 at 15:35

Classification

Accident

Location

Wyndmere, North Dakota, United States

Coordinates

46.4592, -97.1853

Aircraft

Piper PA18

Registration

N726

Category

Airplane

Year built

1982

Engines

1

Operator

Larsons Flying Service

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Other Work Use

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Oaks → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

GAA19CA158

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack during an uncoordinated turn while maneuvering at low altitude, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall. 

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that he was hired to conduct a predator control flight. He added that, after completing a right turn to the west, he initiated a climbing left turn to the east, and about 75 ft above ground level, the airplane "banked violently to the right and back to the left about two-three times," descended, and then impacted snow-covered ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The hiring agency check pilot reported that, during a postaccident flight review with the accident pilot, the pilot did not apply rudder inputs during turns, which resulted in uncoordinated turns, similar to what occurred in this accident.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.