- Date
- July 25, 2000, 11:30 local (19:30 UTC)
- Place
- Cordova, AK
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N1755PPiper PA-18
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 18, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 20000725042349A
- Case key
- 49817
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's excessive application of the airplane's brakes.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The private certificated pilot was landing a tailwheel-equipped airplane on a gravel surface. The pilot applied the brakes to come to a stop, and the airplane nosed over. The airplane received damage to the propeller, wings, windshield, and rudder.
Factual narrative
On July 25, 2000, about 1130 Alaska daylight time, a tundra tire equipped Piper PA-18 airplane, N1755P, sustained substantial damage during landing at the Merle K. (Mudhole) Smith Airport, Cordova, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) local area personal flight, when the accident occurred. The airplane was operated by the pilot. The private certificated pilot, the sole occupant, received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight originated at the Cordova Municipal Airport, Cordova, about 1030.
During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), on July 26, the pilot reported that he had been practicing touch and go landings. He landed on runway 16 which has a gravel surface, and is 1,875 feet long. The pilot said he applied the brakes to come to a stop, and the airplane nosed over. The airplane received damage to the propeller, wings, windshield, and rudder.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1755P
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-4075
- Airframe hours
- 3,429
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-A2B, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Alvin B. Fulton
- Registered owner
- Conrad A. Johnson
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 19, 1999 · 9 hours before
- Departed
- CKU · AK
- Destination
- PACV · AK
- Airport
- PACV · Merle K. (Mudhole) Smith
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 59
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 1,200 total · 1,100 in this make and model · 1 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 214° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,600 ft broken
- Temperature
- 57 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- PAC
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N1755P · 6
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.