Abnormal Runway Contact: Piper PA-18A Super Cub, N1984A; Accident occurred December 15, 2019 at New Market Airport (8W2), Shenandoah County, Virginia

Aviation Accident Factual Report - National Transportation Safety Board

The National Transportation Safety Board did not travel to the scene of this accident.

Additional Participating Entity:

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Washington, District of Columbia

Investigation Docket - National Transportation Safety Board:

https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket

https://registry.faa.gov/N1984A

Location: New Market, Virginia 

Accident Number: ERA20LA055

Date & Time: December 15, 2019, 13:00 Local 

Registration: N1984A

Aircraft: Piper PA18 

Aircraft Damage: Substantial

Defining Event: Abnormal runway contact 

Injuries: 1 None

Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Positioning

Factual Information

On December 15, 2019, about 1300 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-18A, N1984A, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident while landing at the New Market Airport (8W2), New Market, Virginia. The pilot was not injured. The airplane was operated as Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 positioning flight.

The pilot reported that the purpose of the flight was to deliver the airplane from its previous owner to its new owner and that he had just landed "uneventfully" and purchased fuel at 8W2. After he purchased fuel, he completed a traffic pattern at 8W2, and planned a stop-and-go landing on runway 24 before continuing to Lonesome Pine Airport (LNP), Wise, Virginia.

According to the pilot, "I rounded out over the runway numbers and touched down approximately 150 feet past the threshold. As soon as the wheels touched the ground, the airplane immediately rolled right and pitched forward." The pilot made remedial flight control and braking inputs to maintain aircraft control "with no effect." The airplane continued 100 ft past its touchdown point and came to rest facing about 200° with the tailwheel on the runway centerline. The right main landing gear leg and the right main landing gear shock/dampener fractured, and the airplane rested on the left main gear, the tailwheel, and the right wing, which was substantially damaged.

The pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single engine land, multiengine land, and instrument airplane. His most recent Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) first class medical certificate was issued December 6, 2019. The pilot reported 768 total hours of flight experience, of which 4 hours were in the accident airplane make and model.

According to FAA records, the airplane was manufactured in 1952 and was powered by a Lycoming O320-B2B 160-horsepower engine. Its most recent annual inspection was completed August 1, 2019 at 4,343.9 total aircraft hours, and the airplane had accrued 23 hours since that date.

The pilot reported that, other than the landing gear collapse, there was nothing wrong with the performance and handling of the airplane.

The right main landing gear leg and the right main landing gear shock/dampener were retained and examined by an NTSB Materials Research Engineer. The examination revealed no pre-impact anomalies with the dampener or the gear leg, and that the fracture surfaces of each displayed features consistent with overload failure.

Pilot Information

Certificate: Commercial

Age: 23,Male

Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine land; Multi-engine land

Seat Occupied: Front

Other Aircraft Rating(s): None 

Restraint Used: 4-point

Instrument Rating(s): Airplane 

Second Pilot Present: No

Instructor Rating(s): None

Toxicology Performed: No

Medical Certification: Class 1 With waivers/limitations 

Last FAA Medical Exam: December 6, 2019

Occupational Pilot: Yes 

Last Flight Review or Equivalent:

Flight Time: 768 hours (Total, all aircraft), 4 hours (Total, this make and model), 689 hours (Pilot In

Command, all aircraft), 98 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 26 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft), 2 hours (Last 24 hours, all aircraft)

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Piper

Registration: N1984A

Model/Series: PA18 A

Aircraft Category: Airplane

Year of Manufacture: 1952 

Amateur Built: No

Airworthiness Certificate: Normal 

Serial Number: 18-1808

Landing Gear Type: Tailwheel 

Seats: 2

Date/Type of Last Inspection: August 21, 2019

Annual Certified Max Gross Wt.: 1499 lbs

Time Since Last Inspection: Engines: 1 Reciprocating

Airframe Total Time: 4343.9 Hrs as of last inspection

Engine Manufacturer: Lycoming

ELT: Installed 

Engine Model/Series: O-320-B2B

Registered Owner: 

Rated Power: 160 Horsepower

Operator: On file

Operating Certificate(s) Held: None

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual (VMC)

Condition of Light: Day

Observation Facility, Elevation: 8W2,903 ft msl

Distance from Accident Site:

Observation Time: 12:55 Local 

Direction from Accident Site:

Lowest Cloud Condition: Scattered / 5500 ft AGL

Visibility: 10 miles

Lowest Ceiling: None

Visibility (RVR):

Wind Speed/Gusts: 9 knots / 16 knots 

Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual:  /

Wind Direction: 260° 

Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual: /

Altimeter Setting: 29.97 inches Hg 

Temperature/Dew Point: 9°C / -4°C

Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation

Departure Point: Newmarket, VA (8W2)

Type of Flight Plan Filed: None

Destination: Newmarket, VA (8W2)

Type of Clearance: None

Departure Time: 12:56 Local

Type of Airspace: Class G

Airport Information

Airport: New Market Airport 8W2

Runway Surface Type: Asphalt

Airport Elevation: 963 ft msl 

Runway Surface Condition: Dry

Runway Used: 24 

IFR Approach: None

Runway Length/Width: 2920 ft / 60 ft

VFR Approach/Landing: Traffic pattern

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 None

Aircraft Damage: Substantial

Passenger Injuries:

Aircraft Fire: None

Ground Injuries: N/A

Aircraft Explosion: None

Total Injuries: 1 None 

Latitude, Longitude: 38.656112,-78.70861(est)