- Date
- May 13, 2013, 14:00 local (22:00 UTC)
- Place
- Nikiski, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N2496PPiper PA-18A
- Defining event
- Landing: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 23, 2013
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- FAA Anchorage FSDO
- FAA report
- 20130513009949A
- Case key
- 86904
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 maintain directional control during landing, resulting in contact with terrain, and a ground loop.
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 pilot was landing his tailwheel-equipped airplane at an off-airport beach landing site. During the landing flare, a gust of wind pushed the airplane to the left, and the left wing contacted the sloping beach, resulting in a ground loop. Both wings sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane.
Factual narrative
The pilot was landing his tailwheel-equipped airplane at an off-airport beach landing site. During the landing flare, a gust of wind pushed the airplane to the left, and the left wing contacted the sloping beach, resulting in a ground loop. Both wings sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2496P
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-4305
- Airframe hours
- 3,037
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320 SERIES, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 1, 2013
- Departed
- Chinitna Bay, AK
- Destination
- Nikiski, AK
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
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 7, 2012
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 1,000 total · 800 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 60 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 30, 2013, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 568 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 N2496P · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.