Piper PA-18-150 accident near Columbia, California, August 26, 1989
On August 26, 1989 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-18-150, registered N4152N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Columbia, California (Columbia airport). It was a personal 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 IMPROPER RECOVERY FROM A BOUNCED LANDING AND LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 26, 1989 · about 7:30 pm local time · cases in 1989
- Place
- Columbia, California · Columbia · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-150 · all PA-18-150s on the register
- Registration
- N4152N · registry record · serial 1809028
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE LANDING THE PIPER PA-18, THE PILOT EXPERIENCED A HARD LANDING AND LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT. HE ATTEMPTED TO REGAIN CONTROL BY APPLYING POWER AND INCREASING LEFT RUDDER. SEEING THAT THE SITUATION WAS NOT BEING CORRECTED, HE INCREASED POWER AND ATTEMPTED TO PERFORM A GO-AROUND. DIRECTIONAL CONTROL WAS NOT REGAINED AND THE AIRCRAFT VEERED OFF THE RUNWAY TO THE RIGHT. THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A BOULDER, DAMAGING A LANDING GEAR STRUT, THE PROPELLER, AND THE WINGS.
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: 200 hours in all; 40 in this make and model; 160 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,625 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TLR Tulare CA at 6:30 pm
- Destination: 022
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 4,677 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 7:46 pm from MOD, 35 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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N4152N on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Piper PA-18 Super Cub 3,620 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Piper 44,848 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 27,311 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Columbia Airport · nearest airport
- Mefford Field · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in California 9,080 since 1982 · 1,098 in the last ten years
- California 27,686 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/LAX89LA290.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.