Piper PA-18-150 accident near Sedona, Arizona, May 23, 1998
On May 23, 1998 at about 7:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-18-150, registered N4101E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sedona, Arizona (Sedona 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 directional control during the landing rollout. A factor was the gusty wind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 23, 1998 · about 7:15 pm local time
- Place
- Sedona, Arizona · Sedona · 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
- N4101E · registry record · serial 78-09068
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airport AWOS was reporting winds from 140 degrees at 7 to 10 knots and recommended that runway 3 be used for landing. The pilot chose to land on runway 21 into the wind. On the landing rollout the aircraft was struck by a gust of wind and subsequently ground looped.
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: 129 hours in all; 23 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 57 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,563 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 22, 1998; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CHD Chandler AZ at 6:00 pm
- Destination: SEZ
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 21, 5,132 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 12 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 23°F (-5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:56 pm from FLG, 20 miles away
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.
Other NTSB records under N4101E the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.