- Date
- August 1, 2009, 18:00 local (Aug 2, 2009, 02:00 UTC)
- Place
- Skwentna, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N7509KPiper PA-18
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR pattern final: Collision during takeoff/land
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 29, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration (Airworthiness)
- FAA report
- 20090801047969A
- Case key
- 74435
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 misjudged landing on a downsloping, short landing strip, resulting in a nose over.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The private pilot reported that he was landing his tailwheel-equipped airplane at his remote, 650-foot-long private airstrip, at the conclusion of a personal cross-country flight operated under Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. He said that wind conditions required an easterly approach, over an area of stump-covered, down sloping terrain. During the approach, the airplane’s right main wheel struck a tree stump at the approach end of the site, and the airplane subsequently nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings, fuselage, and empennage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical problems with the airplane. In his written report to the NTSB, the pilot noted that the accident might have been avoided if he had waited until wind conditions allowed for a different approach, or if he had waited to reduce engine power after clearance with the stump was ensured.
Factual narrative
The private pilot reported that he was landing his tailwheel-equipped airplane at his remote, 650-foot long private airstrip, at the conclusion of a personal cross-country flight operated under Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. He said that wind conditions required an easterly approach, over an area of stump-covered, down- sloping terrain. During the approach, the airplane’s right main wheel struck a tree stump at the approach end of the site, and the airplane subsequently nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings, fuselage, and empennage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical problems with the airplane. In his written report to the NTSB the pilot noted that the accident might have been avoided if he had waited until wind conditions allowed for a different approach, or if he had waited to reduce engine power after clearance with the stump was ensured.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7509K
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18223
- Engine
- Lycoming O-290 SERIES, 140 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Nord Derek D
- Registered owner
- Nord Derek D
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- MRI · Anchorage, AK
- Destination
- Skwentna, AK
- Airport
- runway 09
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 38
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 270 total · 270 in this make and model · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 90° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 61 °F
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 25, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 641 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.