Piper PA-18A-150 accident near Gunthersville, Alabama, September 6, 2014
On September 6, 2014 at about 5:00 pm local time, a 1956 Piper PA-18A-150, registered N7089B, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Gunthersville, Alabama. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to retract the landing gear wheels prior to a water landing, resulting in a nose over upon touchdown.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 6, 2014 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Gunthersville, Alabama · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18A-150, built 1956 · all PA-18A-150s on the register
- Registration
- N7089B · registry record · serial 18-5172
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, he was performing both water and pavement touch-and-go landings in his amphibious airplane. On final approach for a water landing, he observed a jet ski come out of a slew area and his attention was drawn to it. Upon landing, "I found myself inverted." Federal Aviation Administration inspectors responded to the accident site and examined the wreckage. The landing gear and the cockpit-mounted landing gear switch were found in the down (extended) positions. A cockpit placard was installed, that stated, "DO NOT LAND ON WATER UNLESS GEAR IS FULLY RETRACTED." The pilot reported no pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or failures 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
- Nose over/nose down during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Gear extension and retract sys › Not used/operated
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Forgotten action/omission › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,300 hours in all; 250 in this make and model; 2,800 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 31, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 2014
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming 0-320 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 8A1 Guntersville AL at 4:30 pm
- Destination: 8A1 Guntersville AL
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,200 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 77°F (25°C)
- Altimeter: 30.07 inHg
- Observation at 5:15 pm from 8A0, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ERA14CA431.