What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Tundra equipped pa 18 nosed over landing on a gravel bar. (From .4) the certificated private pilot was landing on a remote gravel bar. The pilot reported that upon touch down, he applied excessive braking. The airplane's tail came up, and the airplane nosed over. The pilot stated that: '... It was just pilot error.... I just hit the brakes too hard.' The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and wing lift struts. The pilot indicated that there were no preimpact mechanical difficulties with the airplane. (-23) on June 14, 1998, about 0900 adt, a tundra tire equipped Piper PA-18-150, airplane N54247, sustained substantial damage during landing, about 30 miles northwest of Nikiski, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a VFR personal flight when the accident occurred. The solo private pilot/owner was not injured. The flight originated from wasilla airport, wasilla, Alaska, at 0630. The pilot reported that while landing on a gravel bar, he applied excessive braking. The airplane tail came up and airplane nosed over.
As the FAA filed it
TUNDRA EQUIPPED PA 18 NOSED OVER LANDING ON A GRAVEL BAR. (FROM .4) THE CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT WAS LANDING ON A REMOTE GRAVEL BAR. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT UPON TOUCH DOWN, HE APPLIED EXCESSIVE BRAKING. THE AIRPLANE'S TAIL CAME UP, AND THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER. THE PILOT STATED THAT: '... IT WAS JUST PILOT ERROR.... I JUST HIT THE BRAKES TOO HARD.' THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE WINGS AND WING LIFT STRUTS. THE PILOT INDICATED THAT THERE WERE NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL DIFFICULTIES WITH THE AIRPLANE. (-23) ON JUNE 14, 1998, ABOUT 0900 ADT, A TUNDRA TIRE EQUIPPED PIPER PA-18-150, AIRPLANE N54247, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING LANDING, ABOUT 30 MILES NORTHWEST OF NIKISKI, ALASKA. THE AIRPLANE WAS BEING OPERATED AS A VFR PERSONAL FLIGHT WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE SOLO PRIVATE PILOT/OWNER WAS NOT INJURED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM WASILLA AIRPORT, WASILLA, ALASKA, AT 0630. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT WHILE LANDING ON A GRAVEL BAR, HE APPLIED EXCESSIVE BRAKING. THE AIRPLANE TAIL CAME UP AND AIRPLANE NOSED OVER.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N54247 · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.