Piper PA-18-150 accident near Stockton, California, November 28, 2009
On November 28, 2009 at about 8:57 pm local time, a Piper PA-18-150, registered N83516, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Stockton, California (Stockton Metropolitan 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 inadequate compensation for a crosswind condition.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 28, 2009 · about 8:57 pm local time
- Place
- Stockton, California · Stockton Metropolitan · 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
- N83516 · registry record · serial 18-7709061
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was landing at an airport. He requested to land on a taxiway next to runway 29L. The air traffic control tower controller cleared the airplane to land on the taxiway; however, the pilot landed the airplane in the grass next to the taxiway. The pilot reported that during the landing roll, a gust of wind lifted the right wing. He did not have enough control authority to correct the elevated wing and the airplane nosed-over. The Federal Aviation Administration inspector examined the airplane and noted that the rear spar on the right wing was broken. At the time of the landing, the winds were reported from 350 at 22 knots, gusting to 30 knots.
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
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Crosswind correction › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › (general) › Response/compensation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 3,000 hours in all; 2,000 in this make and model
- Last flight review: June 27, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,800 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 2009; 83 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SCK Stockton CA
- Destination: SCK Stockton CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29L, 4,454 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 22 knots, gusting 30
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.87 inHg
- Observation at 8:55 pm from SCK
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.