Piper PA18 accident near Raton, New Mexico, August 9, 2018
On August 9, 2018 at about 5:25 pm local time, a 2002 Piper PA18, registered N104CC, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Raton, New Mexico (Raton Muni/Crews Field). It was an other work-use 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 loss of directional control during the landing roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 9, 2018 · about 5:25 pm local time
- Place
- Raton, New Mexico · Raton Muni/Crews Field · 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 2002 · all PA18s on the register
- Registration
- N104CC · registry record · serial 9947CC
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work-use 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 the wheel landing in gusting wind conditions, the right main landing gear (MLG) touched down on the runway followed by the left MLG. During the landing roll, the airplane encountered a wind gust from the left. The airplane ground looped to the left, and the pilot applied full right rudder and brakes. However, the airplane exited the left side of the runway, and its right wing struck the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing, the right aileron, and the right elevator. The pilot reported that the airport's windsocks indicated a 5- to 10-knot "right quartering headwind." The METAR located at the airport reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 210° at 5 knots. The airplane landed on runway 25. The pilot 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 (landing roll)
- Other weather encounter during landing (landing roll)
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing (landing roll)
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) 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 › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,692 hours in all; 38 in this make and model; 64 in the last 90 days; 23 in the last 30 days; 3,905 as pilot in command; 3,641 on instruments
- Last flight review: November 9, 2017
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (waiver time limited special)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,579.2 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 16, 2018
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O360-C4P (piston); 9,579 hours total
- Operator: Doss Aviation Inc
The flight
- Departed from: RTN Rotan NM at 4:38 pm
- Destination: RTN Rotan NM
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 4,425 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.32 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from KRTN
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on March 25, 2019. 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, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Memorandum for Record - No Photographs | PDF, 1 page | 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.