Piper PA-18-150 accident near Chandler, Arizona, April 27, 2011
On April 27, 2011 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-18-150, registered N9683P, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Chandler, Arizona (Chandler Municipal 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).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 27, 2011 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Chandler, Arizona · Chandler Municipal 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
- N9683P · registry record · serial 18-7509026
- 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 she was practicing three-point takeoffs and landings in a tailwheel-equipped airplane. The first three takeoffs and landings were uneventful. During the landing roll of the fourth landing, the airplane began to veer to the left. The pilot applied full right rudder; however, the airplane continued to the left and exited the runway onto a dirt surface. As the pilot added full power to attempt to avoid a taxiway sign and return to the runway, the airplane briefly became airborne before pitching down and pivoting to the right. Subsequently, the left main landing gear collapsed and the left wing struck the ground resulting in substantial damage. The airplane skidded nose down until coming to a rest. The wind was reported to be from 110 degrees at 7 knots at the time of the accident. The pilot reported no mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal flight.
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
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 622 hours in all; 29 in this make and model; 29 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 389 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 23, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,830 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 8, 2011; 33 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Chandler Air Services Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: CHD Chandler AZ at 8:30 pm
- Destination: CHD Chandler AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 04L, 4,401 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 16°F (-9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observation at 8:47 pm from CHD
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N9683P the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number WPR11CA212.