Thomas County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Thedford, Nebraska 69166
Sunday, February 5, 2012 13:30 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported that, during the landing roll, the left main landing gear hit a patch of ice on the runway, and the airplane began to veer to the left. The pilot’s efforts to correct the veer were unsuccessful, and the airplane spun more than 90 degrees to the left and impacted a snowbank. The airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted. The airplane’s fuselage, right wing, and right wing strut were substantially damaged during the accident.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot did not maintain directional control during landing, which resulted in a runway excursion.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/5/2012
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1330
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City Thedford
Event State NEBRASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 69166
Event Date Year 2012
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 415727N
Event Location Longitude 1003408W
Event Location Airport Thomas County Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID TIF
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 2925
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1335 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 360
Weather Observation Facility ID KTIF
Elevation of weather observation facility 2925
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 2
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator --
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.32
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) 29744
NTSB Notification Source FAA Reg Opns Center - ACE
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 30 2012 2:55PM
User who most recently changed record snyg
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3671Z
NTSB Number CEN12CA148
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-18
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 18-7394
Certified Max Gross Weight 1500
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats 2
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 Dec 9 2011 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 10
Airframe Hours 2768
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type C126
Aircraft Owner Name JOHN MUNDORF
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City MULLEN
Aircraft Owner State NE
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 69152-5170
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name JOHN P MUNDORF
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City MULLEN
Operator State NE
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 69152-5170
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 TIF
Departure City Thedford
Departure State NE
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1200
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code TIF
Destination City Thedford
Destination State NE
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Mar 12 2012 3:56PM
User who most recently changed record latt
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 29
Runway Length 4400
Runway Width 60
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --