# NTSB ANC02LA063: Piper PA-11, N62136, Kotzebue, AK, June 26, 2002

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: June 26, 2002, 14:00 local (22:00 UTC)
- Place: Kotzebue, AK
- Coordinates: 67.240112, -161.190383 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=67.2401&lon=-161.1904&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report April 8, 2003
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office
- Parties: FAA Fairbanks FSDO-01
- NTSB case key (mKey): 55077
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC02LA063
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/55077/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=55077
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC02LA063

## Probable cause

The pilot's excessive braking action while landing on a sandbar, which resulted in a nose over.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Nose over, landing - roll
  - brakes(normal) - excessive, pilot in command (cause)
  - terrain condition - sand bar

## Analysis

The pilot reported he was landing the airplane on a sandbar.  He said that during the landing roll he applied the brakes too heavily, and the airplane nosed over.

## Factual narrative

On June 26, 2002, about 1400 Alaska daylight time, a Piper PA-11 airplane, N62136, sustained substantial damage when it nosed over while landing on a sandbar in the Omar River, about 35 miles east of Kotzebue, Alaska.  The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) personal flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred.  The solo private pilot was not injured.  Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed.  The flight originated at the Kotzebue Airport, Kotzebue, about 1400.

During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), on June 27, the pilot said he made several passes over the sandbar to check its suitability for landing.  He said the approach and landing were normal, but he braked too heavily during the landing roll, and the airplane nosed over.

The pilot said the wings, tail, and lift struts were damaged during the accident.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N62136](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N62136), registered now, S/N 11-1439, built 1947 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: Piper PA-11
- Registry model: [Piper PA-11](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-11) (registry code 7101102) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-235 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-235-series) (registry code 41505, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 11-1439
- Engines: Lycoming O-235-C 108 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Operator: Chad Cyrus
- Registered owner: Chad Cyrus
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Departed: PAOT, Kotzebue, AK
- Destination: Kotzebue, AK

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 30; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review January 6, 2002; seat: front; flight hours: 160 total, 102 in this make and model, 114 as pilot in command, 86 in the last 90 days, 49 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: variable at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 61 °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 20020626013449A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020626013449A), Jun 26, 2002: Piper PA11, Kotzebue, AK, No damage. (-23)[privacy data omitted] Mr. Cyrus attempted to land his PA-11-11 on a gravel bar on the omar river, which is 50 nautical miles northeast of Kotzebue,…

## Docket (1 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 19, 2002, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=55077. 743 KB in all.

- Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 743 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40448235&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF

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.

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