Idaho County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Grangeville, Idaho 83530
Sunday, October 30, 2011 15:00 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported that, after he performed a landing, the wind direction changed as he was attempting to turn off the runway to taxi. The wind shifted, increased, and began to gust to 17 knots. As the pilot turned the airplane off the runway, he did not increase engine power or use the brakes to maintain control, and the airplane ground looped. A wing spar broke when the left wing impacted the runway surface.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot’s inadequate compensation for the wind conditions and loss of directional control while taxiing off the runway.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/30/2011
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1500
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City Grangeville
Event State IDAHO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 83530
Event Date Year 2011
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 455633N
Event Location Longitude 1160724W
Event Location Airport Idaho County Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID GIC
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 3314
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1505 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID CIG
Elevation of weather observation facility 6198
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 10000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 8000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 17
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 2
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 200
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 17
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.11
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 29446
NTSB Notification Source NWM ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 27 2011 3:25PM
User who most recently changed record ricj
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N82213
NTSB Number WPR12CA042
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-18-150
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 18-8009031
Certified Max Gross Weight 1750
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
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 11 2011 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 1148
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SOLAR CLUB INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address PO BOX 141
Aircraft Owner City GRANGEVILLE
Aircraft Owner State ID
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 83530-0141
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name Michael J. Frei
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Grangeville
Operator State ID
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 83530
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code GIC
Departure City Grangeville
Departure State ID
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1400
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code GIC
Destination City Grangeville
Destination State ID
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 27 2011 3:26PM
User who most recently changed record ricj
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 07
Runway Length 5101
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --