# Accident 20260515004959A: Piper PA-11, Big Lake, AK, May 15, 2026

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 15, 2026, 16:30 local time
- Place: Big Lake, AK
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Rollout
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 61.3992° N, 150.4822° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=61.3992&lon=-150.4822&mi=10
- Aircraft: N4997M, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N4997M) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-11 (registry code 7101102, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-11) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental C90 series (registry code 17009, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-c90-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-11
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 170 total, 27 in this make and model, 11 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC26LA041](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC26LA041) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20260515004959A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

PILOT DEPARTED LAKE HOOD (LHD) GRAVEL STRIP, FOR A FLIGHT TO THE SUSITNA RIVER AREA. PILOT INITIATED AN APPROACH TO LAND ON A SAND BAR ON THE SUSITNA RIVER. AFTER TOUCHDOWN THE PILOT APPLIED THE BRAKES. THE PLANE FLIPPED FORWARD OVER THE NOSE ON TO IT'S BACK. PILOT WAS ABLE TO EXIT THE AIRCARFT WITHOUT ASSISTANCE. PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB ANC26LA041](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC26LA041), May 16, 2026: Piper PA-11 (N4997M), Susitna, AK, substantial damage, investigation ongoing

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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