Piper PA-18 accident near Flagstaff, Arizona, February 8, 1989
On February 8, 1989 at about 10:14 pm local time, a Piper PA-18, registered N9007S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Flagstaff, Arizona (Pulliam 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 PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN PROPER RUNWAY ALIGNMENT WHILE EXPEDITING TO EXIT THE RUNWAY. HIS LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN THIS TYPE OF AIRCRAFT, SELF-INDUCED PRESSURE & THE SNOW COVERED TERRAIN WERE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 8, 1989 · about 10:14 pm local time
- Place
- Flagstaff, Arizona · Pulliam · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18 · all PA-18s on the register
- Registration
- N9007S · no longer on the register · serial 187709089
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT RPRTD THAT WHEN HE WAS ON FINAL APCH TO LAND, THERE WAS A LEARJET BEHIND HIM ON A 5 MILE FINAL APCH. HE STATED THAT HE MADE A NORMAL LANDING, THEN STEERED LEFT TOWARD THE 'TAXIWAY SIDE' OF THE RWY TO EXPEDITE OFF THE RWY. HOWEVER, AFTER REACHING THE LEFT SIDE, HE WAS UNABLE TO ALIGN THE ACFT BACK ON THE RWY HEADING & ELECTED TO CONTINUE OFF THE RWY, RATHER THAN RISK GROUND LOOPING THE ACFT. AFTER DEPARTING THE RWY, THE ACFT ENTERED SNOW & NOSED OVER. NO MECH MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE WAS RPRTD.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 364 hours in all; 12 in this make and model; 82 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 285 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,625 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PRC Prescott AZ at 9:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 3, 7,000 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 22,000 ft; scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 25°F (-4°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.