Piper PA18 accident near Needles, California, November 24, 2012
On November 24, 2012 at about 4:20 pm local time, a Piper PA18, registered N2224, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Needles, California. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight instructor, while demonstrating a water landing to the pilot receiving instruction, did not maintain proper alignment with the landing surface, which resulted in a hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 24, 2012 · about 4:20 pm local time
- Place
- Needles, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA18 A150 · all PA18s on the register
- Registration
- N2224 · registry record · serial 18-8651
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor was providing instruction to the airline transport pilot in a float-equipped airplane. During the flight instructor’s demonstration of a water landing, the airplane was misaligned with the intended landing path when it impacted the water’s surface. A postaccident examination revealed that the airframe was substantially damaged during the resultant hard landing.
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
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › (general) › (general) › Instructor/check pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Heading/course › Not attained/maintained
Flight instructor
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,256 hours in all; 963 in this make and model; 121 in the last 90 days; 52 in the last 30 days; 2,154 as pilot in command; 928 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 23, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: minor injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,029 hours in all; 2 in this make and model; 2,395 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,540 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 24, 2012; 57 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Sheble Aviation And Flight School
The flight
- Departed from: Bullhead City AZ at 3:45 pm
- Destination: Bullhead City AZ
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.17 inHg
- Observation at 4:56 pm from KEED, 23 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
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.