Bullfrog Basin Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Bullfrog, Utah 84533
Tuesady, November 2, 1999 16:50 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot's landing on runway 19 was normal and the wind was calm. During landing roll, the aircraft departed the runway to the right, traveled down a 10 degree embankment and struck a fence. The pilot said he applied left rudder pressure without effect. According to an FAA inspector who interviewed the pilot following the accident, the pilot told him that he may have inadvertently applied pressure to the rudder pedal rather than to the brake. A functional test of the rudder and brake system was performed and no discrepancies were noted. The pilot had accumulated a total of 7 hours in the PA-18-150, 2 of which were as pilot-in-command. He had received his tailwheel endorsement on the day of the accident.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot-in-command's failure to maintain directional control of the aircraft during landing roll. Factors were the pilot's lack of total experience in type of aircraft and the fence.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/2/1999
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1650
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City BULLFROG
Event State UTAH
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 84533
Event Date Year 1999
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport BULLFROG BASIN AIRPORT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID U07
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 4167
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 786
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 2 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2106
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 12:02PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4285Z
NTSB Number DEN00LA014
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA-18-150
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-18-150
Aircraft Serial Number 18-8534
Certified Max Gross Weight 1750
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 24 1999 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 119
Airframe Hours 2200
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CRAIG L. YOUNG
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4261 FLOAT PLANE DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City ANCHORAGE
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99507
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name JAMES M. ELEGANTE
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1740 S. OAK SPRINGS DR.
Operator City SALT LAKE CITY
Operator State UT
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 84108
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code CNY
Departure City MOAB
Departure State UT
Departure Country
Departure Time 1445
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code U07
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 19
Runway Length 3500
Runway Width 40
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --