Piper PA 18 accident near Albuquerque, New Mexico, May 18, 2018
On May 18, 2018, a 1950 Piper PA 18, registered N7265K, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Albuquerque, New Mexico (Double Eagle II Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's loss of directional control following an encounter with gusty crosswind during landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 18, 2018
- Place
- Albuquerque, New Mexico · Double Eagle II Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA 18 105 SPECIA, built 1950 · all PA 18s on the register
- Registration
- N7265K · registry record · serial 18-158
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After an uneventful 40-minute cross-country flight, the pilot set up to land his tailwheel airplane. The pilot checked with the tower and the controller reported the wind from 240° at 17 knots, gusting to 25 knots. The pilot set up to land on runway 22. The pilot stated that upon landing, the airplane encountered a strong gusty crosswind and he lost directional control. The airplane veered to the left across the runway surface and flipped inverted, resulting in substantial damage to the wings, wing struts, and fuselage.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Other weather encounter during landing
- Loss of control on ground during landing defining event
- Runway excursion during landing
- Nose over/nose down during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Effect on operation
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,540 hours in all; 12 in this make and model; 31 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,400 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 16, 2018
- Maximum gross weight: 1,499 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 742 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FMN Farmington NM at 11:40 pm
- Destination: AEG Albuquerque NM
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 7,398 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 18 knots, gusting 24
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 16,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 5°F (-15°C)
- Altimeter: 29.85 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on July 5, 2018. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Weather Information | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Photo Array | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.