# NTSB ANC02LA094: Piper PA-18, N83272, Copper Center, AK, August 11, 2002 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 10, 2002, 21:00 local (Aug 11, 2002, 05:00 UTC) - Place: Copper Center, AK - Coordinates: 61.961666, -144.413894 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=61.9617&lon=-144.4139&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 29, 2003 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - Parties: FAA-AL-ANC FSDO 03 - NTSB case key (mKey): 55458 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC02LA094 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/55458/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=55458 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC02LA094 ## Probable cause The pilot's selection of unsuitable terrain for landing, resulting in a nose-over during the landing roll. A factor contributing to the accident was rough/uneven terrain. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - roll - terrain condition - rough/uneven (contributing factor) - unsuitable terrain or takeoff/landing/taxi area - selected, pilot in command (cause) - Nose over, landing - roll ## Analysis The private certificated pilot was landing a tundra tire-equipped airplane on rough/uneven terrain at a remote airstrip. The airstrip, oriented east/west, is about 800 feet long and 9 feet wide. The pilot said he landed toward the west in an area of tundra and rocks, and during the landing roll, the right tire hit rocks and the airplane bounced. He applied the brakes as the right tire entered bushes along the edge of the landing area. The airplane nosed over and received damage to the propeller, the left wing lift strut, the right wing, and the rudder. ## Factual narrative On August 10, 2002, about 2100 Alaska daylight time, a tundra tire-equipped Piper PA-18 airplane, N83272, sustained substantial damage when it nosed over during a landing on rough/uneven terrain at a remote airstrip, about 25 miles east-northeast of Copper Center, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) cross-country personal flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, 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 Gulkana Airport, Gulkana, Alaska, about 2020. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), on August 11, the pilot reported that he was landing at a hunting camp to pick up a passenger. The camp was located along the Chickokna River in the Wrangell-Saint Elias National Preserve. The pilot said the airstrip, oriented east/west, is about 800 feet long and 9 feet wide. He said he landed toward the west in an area of tundra and rocks, and during the landing roll, the right tire hit rocks and the airplane bounced. He applied the brakes as the right tire entered bushes along the edge of the landing area. The airplane nosed over and received damage to the propeller, the left wing lift strut, the right wing, and the rudder. The airplane's emergency locator transmitter (ELT) was activated during the accident, and search personnel located the airplane the following day. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N83272](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N83272), registered now, S/N 18-7609063, built 1976 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA-18 - Registry model: [Piper PA-18-150](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-18-150) (registry code 7101828) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 18-7609063 - Airframe hours: 1338 - Engines: Lycoming O-320-A2B 150 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: James D. Bowker - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, April 1, 2002, 101 hours before - Departed: PAGK, GULKANA, AK - Destination: COPPER CENTER, AK ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 35; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review January 16, 2001; seat: front; flight hours: 323 total, 267 in this make and model, 301 as pilot in command, 57 in the last 90 days, 26 in the last 30 days, 9 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 225° at 10 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 7,500 ft broken - Temperature: 45 °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 20020811020149A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020811020149A), Aug 11, 2002: Piper PA18150, Chitina, AK, No damage. (-23) According to the pilot, after landing on a short and narrow airstrip, the aircraft's right wheel got caught in some brush which caused the aircraft to… ## Other investigations on N83272 (3) 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 ANC03CA077](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC03CA077), Jul 12, 2003: Piper PA-18 (N83272), Talkeetna, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's selection of an unsuitable landing area, which resulted in an on ground encounter with soft terrain and subsequent nose over of the airplane. A factor associated with the accident was… - [NTSB SEA78FYK08](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA78FYK08), Feb 7, 1978: Piper PA-18 (N83272), Ashland, OR, destroyed - [NTSB LAXM7DUM29](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAXM7DUM29), May 31, 1977: Piper PA-18 (N83272), San Pasqual, CA, substantial damage ## Docket (1 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 10, 2003, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=55458. 752 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 752 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40469737&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. --- 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.