# NTSB ANC03LA036: Piper PA-18-150, N4448Z, Palmer, AK, March 28, 2003 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: March 28, 2003, 16:00 local (20:00 UTC) - Place: Palmer, AK - Coordinates: 61.283332, -148.5 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=61.2833&lon=-148.5000&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report August 26, 2003 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - Parties: Anchorage, FSDO-03 - NTSB case key (mKey): 56729 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC03LA036 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/56729/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC03LA036 ## Probable cause The pilot's selection of unsuitable terrain for landing, which resulted in an encounter with soft snow, and subsequent nose over during the landing roll. A factor contributing to the accident was the soft, snow-covered 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 - snow covered (contributing factor) - terrain condition - soft (contributing factor) - unsuitable terrain or takeoff/landing/taxi area - selected, pilot in command (cause) - Nose over, landing - roll ## Analysis The pilot reported that the tundra-tire equipped airplane nosed over after encountering soft snow during landing on a snow-covered lake. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the top of both wings. ## Factual narrative On March 28, 2003, about 1600 Alaska standard time, a tundra tire-equipped Piper PA-18-150 airplane, N4448Z, sustained substantial damage when it nosed over during landing on snow-covered Lake George, about 20 miles south-southeast of Palmer, Alaska. The airplane was being operated by the pilot as a visual flight rules (VFR) local personal flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The airline transport pilot and the sole passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. During a telephone conference call on March 29, in which an FAA aviation safety inspector participated, the pilot told the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC) that during the takeoff roll on Lake George, the airplane encountered soft snow and nosed down. In a telephone conversation with the IIC on April 1, the owner of the shop repairing the airplane said the rudder and the right-side lift struts were replaced due to damage received in the accident. During a telephone conversation with the IIC on April 8, the pilot said the accident occurred during landing, and not during takeoff as he originally reported. He also stated the airplane nosed over during the accident, and not nosed down, as he originally reported. The pilot said the damage to the right wing lift struts were the result of he and the passenger exiting the airplane, and not a result of the accident. The pilot said the damage to the rudder was the result of trying to turn the airplane upright, onto its landing gear. The pilot said the only other damage to the airplane was to the propeller and the nose cowling. In a written statement by the pilot to the IIC received on May 6, the pilot reiterated his statement to the IIC during the telephone conversation on April 8. The mechanic who is repairing the airplane told the IIC during a telephone conversation on May 16, that when he arrived at the accident site the airplane was upside-down, and the tail was buried in the snow. He said he noticed the damage to the propeller, and the right wing lift struts. He said there was no damage to the underside of the right wing. He said during the process of righting the airplane the tail came up out of the snow, the airplane slid forward, and the tail fell back into the snow. The mechanic said the top 8 inches of the tail was bent over to one side, but he did not know if the damage was the result of the accident or the recovery. The mechanic said in addition to the damage reported by the pilot, 4 right wing main ribs, and 2 left wing ribs, had been flattened. He said the repair required cutting into the wings at each rib, straightening each rib, and riveting a stiffener to each rib. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N4448Z](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N4448Z), registered now, S/N 18-8795, built 1969 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA-18-150 - 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: 18-8795 - Airframe hours: 3124 - Engines: Lycoming O-320-A2B 150 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Jaqueline M. Grow - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, February 14, 2003, 7 hours before - Departed: 4AK6, Wolf Lake, AK - Destination: Palmer, AK ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 35; injuries: none; airline transport, flight instructor, flight engineer; airplane ratings: single-engine sea, single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review October 18, 2002; seat: front; flight hours: 10,800 total, 1,800 in this make and model, 7,500 as pilot in command, 50 in the last 90 days, 15 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Visibility: 60 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 36 °F - Altimeter: 30.19 inHg ## 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 20030328004849A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030328004849A), Mar 28, 2003: Piper PA18150, Palmer, AK, Substantial damage. (-23) According to the pilot, he was attempting to land on an off airport site when the aircraft came in contact with 10 to 18 inches of snow. The aircraft… ## Other investigations on N4448Z (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 ANC91LA114](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC91LA114), Aug 4, 1991: Piper PA-18-150 (N4448Z), Willow, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: WAS THE IN-FLIGHT COLLISION OF THE AIRPLANE WITH AN OBJECT DUE TO THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S LACK OF AN ADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE ROUGH, UNEVEN AND NARROW CONDITION OF… - [NTSB ANC80DAG56](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC80DAG56), May 15, 1980: Piper PA-18 (N4448Z), Montana Creek, 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.