- Date
- August 28, 2012, 10:15 local (18:15 UTC)
- Place
- Delta Junction, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N4316ZPiper PA-18-150
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Nose over/nose down
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 5, 2012
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Adminstration
- FAA report
- 20120828020289A
- Case key
- 84848
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 failure to identify the appropriate touchdown point, which resulted in a nose over.
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 he was landing a tailwheel-equipped airplane on a rough and uneven, brush-covered, airstrip. Before beginning the approach, he determined the wind direction and a touchdown point. However, after landing, the right main tire dropped into a hole, the tailwheel impacted brush and small stumps, and the airplane nosed over, resulting in substantial damage to the rudder, lift struts, and wings. Upon exiting the airplane, the pilot realized he had identified the wrong touchdown point and landed short of the airstrip. The pilot indicated there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported he was landing a tailwheel-equipped airplane on a rough and uneven, brush covered, airstrip. Before beginning his approach, he determined the wind direction and a touchdown point. Upon landing the right main tire dropped into a hidden hole, and the tailwheel simultaneously impacted brush and small stumps, and the airplane nosed-over. During the nose over, the rudder, lift struts, and wings sustained substantial damage. Upon exiting the airplane the pilot realized he had identified the wrong touchdown point, and landed short of the airstrip. The pilot indicated there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4316Z
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18-150
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-8628
- Airframe hours
- 8,589
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320 SERIES, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Richard T Gardner
- Registered owner
- Richard T Gardner
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 17, 2012
- Departed
- PVT · Delta Junction, AK
- Destination
- Delta Junction, AK
- Flight plan
- Unknown
- Airport
- PVT · Slate Creek, runway 35, grass/turf
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
- 51
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 1, 2012
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 699 total · 80 in this make and model · 683 as pilot in command · 45 in the last 90 days · 41 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 270° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 4,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 45 °F, dew point 36 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.18 inHg
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 5, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.0 MB 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 N4316Z · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.