Piper PA18 accident near Kerrville, Texas, November 23, 2019
On November 23, 2019 at about 5:00 pm local time, a 1956 Piper PA18, registered N530AK, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Kerrville, Texas (Kerrville Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s loss of airplane control during the landing flare, which resulted in a loss of directional control and ground-loop.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 12, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 23, 2019 · about 5:00 pm local time · cases in 2019
- Place
- Kerrville, Texas · Kerrville Municipal · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA18, built 1956 · all PA18s on the register
- Registration
- N530AK · registry record · serial 18-4385
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, based on the wind reported by the destination airport's AWOS, he decided to conduct a conventional, full-stall, three-point landing. He said the approach was normal and stabilized. When the airplane was about 1 ft above the runway, a wind gust pushed the airplane left. The left main landing gear contacted the runway, and the airplane drifted right. The left shock absorber broke, and the airplane swerved right. The tailwheel unlocked, and the airplane ground looped, which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Loss of control in flight during landing defining event
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Loss of control on ground during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Aircraft structural failure during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,160 hours in all; 53 in this make and model; 108 in the last 90 days; 75 in the last 30 days; 1,750 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 24, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,017 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 30, 2019
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 300 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CXO Conroe TX at 3:00 pm
- Destination: ERV Kerrville TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 6,004 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.27 inHg
- Observation at 4:50 pm from ERV
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 4 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photo 1 – Overall view of left wing damage to N520AK, a Piper PA-18 Super Cub.
Photo 2 – Left wing damage as seen from the top.
Photo 3 – Frontal view of left wing damage.
Photo 4 – Closer view of left wing damage.The NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on February 26, 2020. 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 | NTSB Form 6120.1-2, Pilot-operator Aircraft Accident Report | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | E-mail from Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Report Photos | PDF, 4 pages · our copy | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N530AK the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N530AK on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Piper PA-18 Super Cub 3,620 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Piper 44,848 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 1,067 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Kerrville Muni/Louis Schreiner Field · nearest airport
- Conroe/North Houston Regional · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Texas 6,235 since 1982 · 1,056 in the last ten years
- Texas 29,945 aircraft registered
- Other NTSB records under N530AK 1 records · the number may have belonged to another aircraft at the time
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/CEN20CA033.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.