Piper PA18 accident near New Market, Virginia, December 15, 2019
On December 15, 2019 at about 6:00 pm local time, a 1952 Piper PA18, registered N1984A, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near New Market, Virginia (New Market Airport). It was a positioning 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 improper touchdown, which resulted in a hard landing and an overload failure of the right main landing gear leg and its associated shock/dampener.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 15, 2019 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- New Market, Virginia · New Market Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA18 A, built 1952 · all PA18s on the register
- Registration
- N1984A · registry record · serial 18-1808
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane, the airplane immediately rolled right and pitched forward at touchdown. The pilot's corrective control inputs had "no effect"; the airplane continued 100 ft past its touchdown point and came to rest facing about 40° off centerline with the tailwheel on the runway centerline. The right main landing gear leg and shock/dampener fractured, and the right wing was substantially damaged. Metallurgical examination of the right main landing gear leg and gear shock/dampener revealed no pre-impact anomalies, and the fracture surfaces of each displayed features consistent with overload failure. Thus, it is likely that the failure of the landing gear was a result of a hard landing.
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
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Landing gear collapse during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Incorrect use/operation
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 768 hours in all; 4 in this make and model; 98 in the last 90 days; 26 in the last 30 days; 689 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,343.9 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 21, 2019
- Maximum gross weight: 1,499 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2B (piston); 2,438 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 8W2 Newmarket VA at 5:56 pm
- Destination: 8W2 Newmarket VA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 2,920 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 9 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observation at 5:55 pm from 8W2
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N1984A the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.