Probable cause
The pilot's improper touchdown, which resulted in a hard landing and an overload failure of the right main landing gear leg and its associated shock/dampener.
NTSB analysis
According to the pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane, the airplane immediately rolled right and pitched forward at touchdown. The pilot's corrective control inputs had "no effect"; the airplane continued 100 ft past its touchdown point and came to rest facing about 40° off centerline with the tailwheel on the runway centerline. The right main landing gear leg and shock/dampener fractured, and the right wing was substantially damaged. Metallurgical examination of the right main landing gear leg and gear shock/dampener revealed no pre-impact anomalies, and the fracture surfaces of each displayed features consistent with overload failure. Thus, it is likely that the failure of the landing gear was a result of a hard landing.
Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA20LA055 for the full record.
Event
- Date
- Dec 15, 2019
- Type
- Accident
- Place
- New Market, Virginia
- Nearest airport
- New Market Airport (8W2)
- Highest injury
- None
- Weather
- Visual (VMC)
- Light
- Day
Piper PA18
- N-number
- N1984A
- Category
- Airplane
- Year built
- 1952
- Damage
- Substantial
- Operating rule
- Part 91 (general aviation)
- Purpose of flight
- Positioning
From the NTSB aviation accident database: N-registered aircraft, events since 2008, data through Oct 28, 2026. The file is published monthly, so the latest weeks are incomplete and recent records can change. The official source is the NTSB aviation investigation search. CheckAero is independent and not affiliated with the NTSB.