# NTSB ANC00LA079: Piper PA-18, N78NR, Skwentna, AK, June 24, 2000 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 24, 2000, 10:30 local (18:30 UTC) - Place: Skwentna, AK - Coordinates: 61.930397, -151.730209 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=61.9304&lon=-151.7302&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report May 17, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 49534 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC00LA079 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/49534/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC00LA079 ## Probable cause The pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions. Factors in the accident were the presence of a tailwind, the pilot's inadvertent touchdown, and a short landing area bordered by high vegetation. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight encounter with weather, landing - weather condition - tailwind (contributing factor) - compensation for wind conditions - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - airport facilities,runway/landing area condition - short runway/landing area (contributing factor) - touchdown - inadvertent, pilot in command (contributing factor) - aborted landing - initiated, pilot in command - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - aborted - terrain condition - high vegetation (contributing factor) - Nose over, landing - aborted ## Analysis The private certificated pilot was landing at his private airstrip, next to his cabin. The dirt airstrip, oriented southeast/northwest, is about 600 feet long, and 60 feet wide. The pilot said he overflew the strip several times. He selected full flaps, and began a landing approach toward the northwest. During the approach, a wind shift, producing a tailwind, carried the airplane past the pilot's intended landing spot, and the airplane inadvertently touched down. The pilot added full power to abort the landing. The airplane collided with brush at the end of the airstrip, and the airplane nosed over. The airplane received damage to the wings, fuselage, and tail. ## Factual narrative On June 24, 2000, about 1030 Alaska daylight time, a tundra tire equipped Piper PA-18 airplane, N78NR, sustained substantial damage during landing at a private airstrip, about 16 miles west of Skwentna, Alaska, at latitude 62 degrees, 05.69 minutes north, and longitude 151 degrees, 42.20 minutes west. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) cross-country personal flight, when the accident occurred. The airplane was operated by the pilot. The private certificated pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight originated at the Birchwood airport, Chugiak, Alaska, about 0930. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), on June 24, the pilot reported he was landing at his private airstrip, next to his cabin. The dirt airstrip, oriented southeast/northwest, is about 600 feet long, and 60 feet wide. The pilot said he overflew the strip several times. He selected full flaps, and began a landing approach toward the northwest. During the approach, a wind shift, producing a tailwind, carried the airplane past the pilot's intended landing spot, and the airplane inadvertently touched down. The pilot added full power to abort the landing. The airplane collided with brush at the end of the airstrip, and the airplane nosed over. The airplane received damage to the wings, fuselage, and tail. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N78NR](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N78NR), registered now, S/N 18-3513 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA-18 - Registry model: [Piper PA-18](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-18) (registry code 7101802) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 18-3513 - Airframe hours: 4562 - Engines: Lycoming O-320-A2B 150 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Jeffry B. Bara - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, October 3, 1999, 52 hours before - Departed: PABV, CHUGIAK, AK - Airport: runway 31, 600 × 60 ft, dirt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 37; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: front; flight hours: 143 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: variable at 3 knots, gusting 8 - Visibility: 30 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 70 °F ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20000624042589A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000624042589A), Jun 24, 2000: Piper PA18, Skwenta, AK, Substantial damage. (-23) On June 24, 2000 at about 1100 adt, a wheel equipped Piper PA-18 registered to and piloted by jeff b. bara was involved in an accident on an unnamed… ## Other investigations on N78NR (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 ANC15FA009](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC15FA009), Jan 31, 2015: Piper PA18 (N78NR), Wasilla, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: Both pilots’ inadequate visual lookout and failure to see and avoid each other while in level cruise flight, which resulted in a midair collision. Contributing to the accident was the obscuration of… 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.