- Date
- August 10, 2014, 17:30 local (Aug 11, 2014, 01:30 UTC)
- Place
- Talkeetna, AK
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N8979DPiper PA 18-150
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 13, 2014
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20140810015479A
- Case key
- 89844
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 pilots excessive use of the airplanes brakes during the landing roll, which resulted in a nose over. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor's inadequate supervision of the training flight.
Findings · 4
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 receiving instruction in a tundra tire equipped tailwheel airplane. He stated that this was his first time operating an airplane equipped with heel brakes. Although not proficient, the pilot did possess a tailwheel endorsement. He reported that on taxi he had difficulty reaching the heel brake pedals, and had to physically remove his feet from the rudder pedals in order to apply the brakes. While landing at an off-airport site, during the landing roll the airplane veered slightly to the left and the airplane nosed over sustaining substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer, rudder and left lift strut. The pilot reported that during the landing roll he did not apply the brakes. During his initial call to the National Transportation Safety Board the flight instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Due to the pilots inexperience with heel brake tailwheel-equipped airplanes and his difficulty applying the brakes, it is likely that the pilot inadvertently applied to much brake pressure as the airplane neared the end of the landing roll and subsequently nosed over.
Factual narrative
The pilot was receiving instruction in a tundra tire equipped tailwheel airplane. He stated that this was his first time operating an airplane equipped with heel brakes. Although not proficient, the pilot did possess a tailwheel endorsement. He reported that on taxi he had difficulty reaching the heel brake pedals, and had to physically remove his feet from the rudder pedals in order to apply the brakes. While landing at an off-airport site, during the landing roll the airplane veered slightly to the left and the airplane nosed over sustaining substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer, rudder and left lift strut. The pilot reported that during the landing roll he did not apply the brakes. During his initial call to the National Transportation Safety Board the flight instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8979D
- Reported as
- Piper PA 18-150 (A150)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-7509053
- Built
- 1975
- Airframe hours
- 1,426
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Williams Steven C
- Registered owner
- Williams Steven C
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- Talkeetna, AK
- Destination
- PALH · Anchorage, 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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 55
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 17, 2013
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 1,306 total · 2 in this make and model · 1,103 as pilot in command · 22 in the last 90 days · 8 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 27
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- December 20, 2013
- Seat
- Rear
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 4,800 total · 480 in this make and model · 3,500 as pilot in command · 230 in the last 90 days · 80 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 310° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 9,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.64 inHg
- Observed at
- PATK, 13 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 3, 2014, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.7 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 N8979D · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.