# NTSB ANC02LA112: Piper PA-18, N6981B, Anchorage, AK, September 2, 2002 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: September 1, 2002, 19:00 local (Sep 2, 2002, 03:00 UTC) - Place: Anchorage, AK - Coordinates: 61.45, -150.949996 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=61.4500&lon=-150.9500&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report April 18, 2003 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - Parties: FAA-AL-ANC FSDO 03 - NTSB case key (mKey): 55631 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC02LA112 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/55631/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC02LA112 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to attain the proper touchdown point on a remote airstrip, and his failure to perform a go-around that resulted in the airplane overrunning the end of the strip. Factors in the accident were the pilot's inadequate evaluation of a tailwind condition, and a wet landing surface. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Overrun, landing - roll - weather evaluation - inadequate, pilot in command (contributing factor) - weather condition - tailwind (contributing factor) - proper touchdown point - not attained, pilot in command (cause) - terrain condition - wet (contributing factor) - go-around - not performed, pilot in command (cause) - landing gear,main gear - overload ## Analysis The private certificated pilot was landing at a remote airstrip. The landing strip, oriented southeast/northwest, is about 600 feet long, by 15 feet wide, and is positioned on a ridge of a mountain. The pilot said he was landing toward the southeast, and touched down on the strip about 1/3 of its total distance beyond the landing threshold. He applied the airplane's brakes, but the tires began to slide on wet grass. The airplane departed off the end of the landing strip. The left main landing gear tire struck a hole about 300 feet past the end of the landing strip, and the left main landing gear was sheared off. The airplane received damage to the propeller, the left wing lift strut, and the left wing. The pilot reported that after the accident, he utilized a hand-held wind meter and discovered he had landed with about a 5 knot tailwind. The Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident/Incident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1) submitted by the pilot, contained an optional area for recommendations as to how the accident could have been prevented. The pilot indicated that his recommendation was, "Perform go-around instead of landing long." ## Factual narrative On September 1, 2002, about 1900 Alaska daylight time, a tundra tire-equipped Piper PA-18 airplane, N6981B, sustained substantial damage when the airplane collided with a ditch during an overrun while landing at a remote airstrip, about 32 miles west of Anchorage, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a Title 14, CFR Part 91 visual flight rules (VFR) cross-country personal flight when the accident occurred. The airplane was operated by the pilot. The private certificated pilot, and the sole passenger, were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight originated at the Lake Hood Strip, Anchorage, about 1830. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), on September 4, the pilot reported that he was landing near the top of Little Mount Susitna. The landing strip, oriented southeast/northwest, is about 600 feet long, by 15 feet wide, and is positioned on a ridge of the mountain. The pilot said he was landing toward the southeast, but touched down on the strip about 1/3 of its total distance beyond the landing threshold. He applied the airplane brakes, but the airplane tires began to slide on wet grass. The airplane departed off the end of the landing strip into an area of low bushes on a down sloping portion of the landing area. The left main landing gear tire struck a hole about 300 feet past the end of the landing strip. The airplane's left main landing gear was sheared off. The pilot reported that after the accident, he utilized a hand-held wind meter, and discovered about a five knot tailwind. The airplane received damage to the propeller and the left wing lift strut. Additionally, the outboard end of the left wing was bent upward about 20 degrees. The Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident/Incident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1) submitted by the pilot, contained an optional area for recommendations as to how the accident could have been prevented. The pilot indicated that his recommendation was, "Perform go-around instead of landing long." ## Aircraft - Registration: [N6981B](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N6981B), registered now, S/N 18-5103 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA-18 - Registry model: [Piper PA-18](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-18) (registry code 7101802) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 18-5103 - Airframe hours: 4387 - Engines: LYCOMING O-320 150 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Monte Townsend - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, March 6, 2002, 65 hours before - Departed: Z41, ANCHORAGE, AK - Destination: ANCHORAGE, AK - Airport: Little Mt. Susitna, runway 13, 600 × 15 ft, grass/turf ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 46; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: front; flight hours: 510 total, 390 in this make and model, 510 as pilot in command, 61 in the last 90 days, 37 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 360° at 5 knots, gusting 10 - Visibility: 50 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 55 °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 20020901025989A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020901025989A), Sep 1, 2002: Piper PA18, AK, Substantial damage. (-23) The pilot was landing at a remote off airport site with his Piper PA-18. In his attempt to make the landing, he turned final approach and realized his… ## Other investigations on N6981B (2) 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 ANC90LA048](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC90LA048), Apr 1, 1990: Piper PA-18 (N6981B), Kodiak, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: THE PILOT FAILED TO MAINTAIN PROPER OBSTACLE CLEARANCE ALTITUDE DURING HIS FINAL APPROACH. - [NTSB ANC81DAG16](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC81DAG16), Aug 31, 1980: Piper PA-18 (N6981B), Big Lake, AK, substantial damage 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.