Piper PA-18-150 accident near Jackson, Wyoming, March 21, 2009
On March 21, 2009 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-18-150, registered N3920Z, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Jackson, Wyoming (Jackson Hole 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 failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 21, 2009 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Jackson, Wyoming · Jackson Hole 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
- N3920Z · registry record · serial 18-7744
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that after landing on Runway 19, a crosswind caused the airplane to drift to the right. He applied left rudder to realign the aircraft with the runway centerline. The left turn accelerated into a ground loop. Subsequently the right main landing gear failed, the right wing tip contacted the runway, and the right wing spar was bent. The pilot did not report any preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,800 hours in all; 1,280 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: February 12, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,880 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 28, 2008
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: JAC Jackson WY at 9:00 pm
- Destination: JAC Jackson WY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 6,300 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:51 pm from JAC
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.