Piper PA-18 accident near Ephrata, Washington, August 13, 1996
On August 13, 1996 at about 5:40 pm local time, a Piper PA-18, registered N8109Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ephrata, Washington. It was a business 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
failure of the pilot to maintain proper alignment with the landing area (driveway) during the landing. Factors relating to the accident were: the selection of an unsuitable area for landing, the reported turbulence during landing, and an encounter with a rock beside the landing area, while using heavy braking action.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 13, 1996 · about 5:40 pm local time
- Place
- Ephrata, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18 · all PA-18s on the register
- Registration
- N8109Y · registry record · serial 18-8591
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that he was landing off-airport to pick up some parts at a parts house. The landing was made on a driveway, which was 500 feet long and 20 feet wide. During the landing, the aircraft 'snagged a rock' and nosed over, causing substantial damage. The pilot stated that turbulence moved the aircraft to the left side of the driveway, where it impacted the rock. Also, he said that heavy braking and impacting the rock caused the aircraft to go over on its back. The pilot noted that the accident could have been avoided 'by not landing here.'
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,000 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 70 in the last 30 days; 3,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,410 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 26, 1996; 14 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-C4P (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SFF Spokane WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.