Piper PA18-150 accident near Tucson, Arizona, May 18, 2001
On May 18, 2001 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Piper PA18-150, registered N8524Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tucson, Arizona (El Tiro airport). 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 inadequate preflight inspection, which included verifying the position of the fuel selector handle, which subsequently led to fuel starvation and a forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 18, 2001 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Tucson, Arizona · El Tiro · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA18-150 · all PA18-150s on the register
- Registration
- N8524Y · registry record · serial 18-8888
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane lost engine power and collided with an airport perimeter fence, a tree, and the ground. The purpose of the flight was to make sure the airplane was in working order for the day's glider tow activities. The accident flight was the first flight of the day. A preflight inspection was conducted, which included visually verifying the fuel selector position, which was found pointing towards the left. The position of the fuel selector appeared correct to the pilot. No discrepancies were noted with the startup, run-up, or takeoff roll. During climb out the airplane lost engine power. The pilot attempted to slip the airplane down to the runway. The pilot stopped the slip and tried to make it over the perimeter fence. He placed his hand on the fuel selector and noted that it was out of position. He repositioned the fuel selector, the engine quit, and the airplane landed short of the perimeter fence. During the rollout the airplane contacted trees, the right main landing gear collapsed, and the airplane came to rest upright past the fence. The pilot indicated that the he had been flying a Cessna 140, which has a similar fuel selector handle, but works in the opposite direction. He stated that he hadn't flown the Super Cub as often during the year and most of his experience was in the Cessna 140.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 2,400 hours in all; 150 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 2,600 as pilot in command; 500 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 30, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AZ67 Tucson AZ at 5:30 pm
- Destination: AZ67 Tucson AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 8, 5,120 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observation at 4:55 pm from TUS, 34 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
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.