The Piper PA18-150 pilot reported that he and his father had flown to a location near Willcox, Arizona, to camp and hunt. They made three passes over an open area to find a suitable landing spot.
The pilot stated that the grass appeared to be knee-to-hip height, but he believed it was safe to land.
He set up for landing, and on the landing rollout, about 20-30 knots, the left main landing gear wheel hit an unseen, large embedded boulder that collapsed the left main landing gear. The wing sustained substantial damage.
The NTSB determined the probable cause as the pilot’s decision to land off airport on unsuitable terrain that resulted in a collision with hidden objects.
NTSB Identification: WPR14CA109
This January 2014 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.
Very expensive learning experience
What did he expect without knowing the ground they were to land on. You can’t see very much through grass that is knee to hip high.
good point. Regardless, with “knee deep grass”, if the landing didn’t create a crisis, the takeoff quite likely would. I hate to think of the affect the added drag of 24″ grass on the runway would have, and how that plus DA would extend the ground run (unless he had a VTOL PA-18 150.
According to the Pilot/Operator report in the NTSB the pilot reported “The
grass was long, maybe knee to hip high…” That is REALLY tall grass. Even with an overflight at very low level it would have been very difficult (or impossible as he demonstrated) to detect significant obstacles. He also reported DA was 4200′, yet he reported the ambient temperature was 70 dF. According to the sectional chart for the area the actual terrain elevation might have been 4200′, but no lower… perhaps 4500′ or higher given the charted contours. However, the DA at this elevation with the reported ambient temperature would have been well over 5,000′. Hence his approach and landing airspeed would have likewise been well over the IAS which is probably what he reported (and carried forward into the NTSB Factual report)..
If ground that hasn’t been used recently as a landing surface isn’t at least inspected by walking it, then it is risky to land on it even if it appears from a low fly-by to be suitable as it apparently did in this case. I agree if the grass appeared to be “knee high” that would itself be hazardous for takeoff given the increased drag. Another totally preventable accident.