Piper PA-18-150 accident near Half Moon Bay, California, November 25, 1986
On November 25, 1986 at about 9:45 pm local time, a Piper PA-18-150, registered N76EV, was substantially damaged in an accident near Half Moon Bay, California (Half Moon Bay 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 25, 1986 · about 9:45 pm local time
- Place
- Half Moon Bay, California · Half Moon Bay · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-150 · all PA-18-150s on the register
- Registration
- N76EV · registry record · serial 187609103
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED MODESTO AIRPORT (MOD), MODESTO, CALIFORNIA, ON A V.F.R. PLEASURE FLIGHT TO HALF MOON BAY AIRPORT (HAF), HALF MOON BAY, CA. THE FLT TO HAF WAS UNEVENTFUL. THE PLT NEGOTIATED A TRAFFIC PATTERN TO RUNWAY 30. DURING THE LANDING ROLL-OUT THE PLT REPORTED THE AIRPLANE'S LEFT WING BEGAN TO RISE AND HE IMMEDIATELY ADDED POWER AND LEFT AILERON, BUT TO NO AVAIL. THE AIRPLANE'S RIGHT WING CONTACTED THE GROUND AND THE AIRPLANE GROUND LOOPED TO THE RIGHT. THE PILOT ALSO STATED THAT THE SURFACE WINDS WERE CALM AND THE FLIGHT CONTROLS OPERATED NORMALLY.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 2,500 hours in all; 1,825 in this make and model; 37 in the last 90 days; 21 in the last 30 days; 2,500 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,765 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 29, 1986; 129 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,625 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MOD Modesto CA at 8:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 5,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.