What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On September 03, 2004, at approximately 13:26 Alaska standard time, a PA-18, N82353, piloted by eric swenson, a newly certified private pilot, lost directional control while landing on runway 3 at Merrill field in Anchorage Alaska. The pilot stated that he elected to land on runway 3 to prevent excessive wear on the large tundra tires. This resulted in a crosswind landing. During the landing roll the pilot stated that he was hit by a gust and over corrected resulting in a loss of directional control. The aircraft sustained substantial damage after it left the runway and nosed over, coming to rest upside down.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON SEPTEMBER 03, 2004, AT APPROXIMATELY 13:26 ALASKA STANDARD TIME, A PA-18, N82353, PILOTED BY ERIC SWENSON, A NEWLY CERTIFIED PRIVATE PILOT, LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL WHILE LANDING ON RUNWAY 3 AT MERRILL FIELD IN ANCHORAGE ALASKA. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE ELECTED TO LAND ON RUNWAY 3 TO PREVENT EXCESSIVE WEAR ON THE LARGE TUNDRA TIRES. THIS RESULTED IN A CROSSWIND LANDING. DURING THE LANDING ROLL THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS HIT BY A GUST AND OVER CORRECTED RESULTING IN A LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE AFTER IT LEFT THE RUNWAY AND NOSED OVER, COMING TO REST UPSIDE DOWN.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.