# NTSB ANC10CA103: Piper PA-18-150, N6819L, Anchorage, AK, September 29, 2010

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report
- Date: September 28, 2010, 17:00 local (Sep 29, 2010, 01:00 UTC)
- Place: Anchorage, AK
- Coordinates: 61.335556, -150.539443
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=61.3356&lon=-150.5394&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing-landing roll: Miscellaneous/other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report April 12, 2011
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office
- Parties: FAA FSDO-03
- NTSB case key (mKey): 77730
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC10CA103
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/77730/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=77730
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC10CA103

## Probable cause

The student pilot's selection of unsuitable terrain for an off-airport landing, resulting in the airplane nosing over.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Info processing/decision: decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-18-150, 51 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md?model=7101828), [All aircraft, 3,098 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md)
- [Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03023000): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Contributed to outcome; cases with it: [Piper PA-18-150, 11 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03023000/cases.md?model=7101828), [All aircraft, 253 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03023000/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Landing-landing roll: Miscellaneous/other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-18-150, 10 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900/sequence.md?model=7101828), [All aircraft, 1,556 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900/sequence.md)

## Analysis

According to the student pilot, during a local flight he elected to make an off-airport landing. During the landing, the main landing gear encountered a ditch that had been obscured by tall grass and, when the landing gear struck the ditch, the airplane nosed over. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.

## Factual narrative

The student pilot reported he was on a personal local flight when he elected to make an off-airport landing. During the landing the main landing gear encountered a ditch that had been obscured by tall grass. The student pilot said that when the landing gear struck the ditch, the airplane nosed over. He said prior to the accident there were no mechanical problems with the airplane.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N6819L](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N6819L-2015-07-06), registration cancelled 2015-07-06, S/N 18-7409103, built 1974 (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: 18-7409103
- Airframe hours: 1820
- Engines: LYCOMING O-320 SERIES 160 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Operator: Dusti Navarro
- Registered owner: Dusti Navarro
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, August 1, 2010
- Departed: MRI, Anchorage, AK
- Destination: MRI, Anchorage, AK

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Student pilot; age 35; injuries: none; student; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; seat: front; flight hours: 20 total, 10 in this make and model

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none

## 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 20100928052129A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20100928052129A), Sep 28, 2010: Piper PA-18-150, Anchorage, AK, Minor damage. Airman stated that while landing on the susitna river duck flats, he hit a ditch hidden by tall grass. The aircraft flipped over damaging the propeller and…

## Other investigations on N6819L (1)

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 ANC93LA160](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC93LA160), Aug 29, 1993: Piper PA-18 (N6819L), Happy Valley, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: THE PILOT'S IMPROPER PREFLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE. A FACTOR WAS THE ROUGH/UNEVEN TERRAIN.

## Docket (1 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 28, 2010, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=77730. 294 KB in all.

- Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 294 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40341344&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.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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