Piper PA-18-150 accident near Imperial, California, December 4, 1998
On December 4, 1998 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-18-150, registered N82325, was substantially damaged in an accident near Imperial, California (Imperial County airport). It was a public-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 compensation for the gusty wind conditions while taxiing from landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 4, 1998 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Imperial, California · Imperial County · 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
- N82325 · registry record · serial 18-7709143
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he landed on runway 26, and as he turned onto the taxiway, a wind gust got under the upwind wing. The aircraft nosed over and came to rest inverted. The airport weather facility reported that the winds were from 250 degrees at 15 knots with gusts to 25 knots at the time of the accident. The pilot did not report any mechanical malfunction with the aircraft prior to the accident.
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; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,642 hours in all; 1,540 in this make and model; 191 in the last 90 days; 118 in the last 30 days; 2,478 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 11,466 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 4, 1998; 91 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: IPL at 1:10 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 4,500 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 15 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.