Piper PA18 accident near Monroe, North Carolina, June 22, 2020
On June 22, 2020 at about 5:34 pm local time, a 1960 Piper PA18, registered N3681Z, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Monroe, North Carolina (Charlotte-Monroe Executive airport). 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate assessment of the landing area, which resulted in the airplane's encounter with tall weeds during landing and a subsequent nose-over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 22, 2020 · about 5:34 pm local time
- Place
- Monroe, North Carolina · Charlotte-Monroe Executive · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA18 150, built 1960 · all PA18s on the register
- Registration
- N3681Z · registry record · serial 18-7410
- 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 he was returning to his farm and performed both high and low "reconnaissance flights" over the farm field before landing. He stated the landing was normal until the airplane struck some taller weeds in the field and nosed over, substantially damaging the tail. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. He stated that he had not expected the weeds to be so high and that cutting all vegetation in the landing area might have prevented the accident.
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 (landing roll) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Identification/recognition › Pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface › (general) › Awareness of condition
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface › (general) › Effect on equipment
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,437.3 hours in all; 300.1 in this make and model; 38.2 in the last 90 days; 23.5 in the last 30 days; 2,299.3 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 14, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,665.9 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 13, 2020; 11 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 A3B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: EQY Monroe NC at 5:20 pm
- Destination: Monroe NC
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 10 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from EQY, 2 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on October 9, 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 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | FAA Inspector's Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Photos | PDF, 7 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.