Piper PA 22 accident near Ashland, Ohio, February 18, 2018
On February 18, 2018 at about 3:30 pm local time, a 1957 Piper PA 22, registered N6157D, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Ashland, Ohio (Ashland County 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).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll resulting in a ground loop.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 18, 2018 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Ashland, Ohio · Ashland County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA 22 150, built 1957 · all PA 22s on the register
- Registration
- N6157D · registry record · serial 22-4804
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot in the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that during touch down the airplane bounced. Following the bounce, the airplane settled on all three-landing gear and immediately veered to the left. The pilot attempted to correct with right aileron and right rudder application, then the airplane veered to the right. The airplane exited the right side of the runway and rotated about 180° before it came to rest. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing and aileron. The pilot reported in the Recommendation section of the National Transportation Board Pilot Aircraft Accident Report, that the accident could have been prevented if he had received more training in the accident airplane make and model (30 hours reported). The PIC reported that there were no 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
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Loss of control on ground during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Experience/qualifications › Total experience › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 2,503 hours in all; 30 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 2,270 as pilot in command; 1,002 on instruments
- Last flight review: January 7, 2017
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot-Rated Passenger
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,075 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 14, 2017
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 2,353 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3G4 Ashland OH at 2:40 pm
- Destination: 3G4 Ashland OH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 3,501 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,700 ft
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.32 inHg
- Observation at 2:52 pm from KMFD, 13 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N6157D the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 GAA18CA144.