- Date
- April 9, 2011, 15:00 local (23:00 UTC)
- Place
- Talkeetna, AK
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N8842DPiper PA-22/20
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Nose over/nose down
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 17, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- FAA FSDO-03
- FAA report
- 20110409005569A
- Case key
- 78823
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 selection of a soft, slushy runway for landing, resulting in a noseover.
Findings · 2
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 pilot reported that he contacted a nearby Federal Aviation Administration Flight Service Station (FSS) to ask if any airplanes had taken off or landed at the snow-covered, unattended gravel airstrip that was his destination. The FSS specialist stated that airplanes had landed there earlier in the day, but he did not have information about the runway condition. The pilot overflew the airstrip about 500 feet above the ground and it appeared to be hard packed, with signs of use. During the landing roll, the airplane's tires encountered soft slush and the airplane nosed over, collapsing the right wing lift-strut. The pilot said that there were no preaccident mechanical problems with the airplane and that he was unaware that the airstrip was used primarily by ski-equipped airplanes during the winter.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that he contacted a nearby FAA flight service station (FSS) to ask if any airplanes had taken off or landed at the snow-covered, unattended gravel airstrip that was his destination. The FSS specialist said airplanes had landed there earlier in the day, but he did not have information about the runway condition. The pilot overflew the airstrip about 500 feet above the ground, and it appeared to be hard packed, with signs of use. During the landing roll, the airplane's tires encountered soft slush, and the airplane nosed over, collapsing the right wing lift-strut. The pilot said there were no preaccident mechanical problems with the airplane, and that he was unaware that the airstrip was used primarily by ski-equipped airplanes during the winter.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8842D
- Reported as
- Piper PA-22/20
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 22-6012
- Airframe hours
- 3,115
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360 A1A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Meadows Marcus M
- Registered owner
- Meadows Marcus M
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 29, 2010
- Departed
- Z41 · Anchorage, AK
- Destination
- AK44 · Talkeetna, AK
- Airport
- AK44 · Talkeetna Village Strip Airpor, runway 34, 1,600 × 30 ft, gravel
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 38
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- December 31, 2010
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 11,500 total · 200 in this make and model · 11,000 as pilot in command · 155 in the last 90 days · 80 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 39 °F
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 28, 2011, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 148 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.
Other investigations on N8842D · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.