- Date
- September 3, 2014, 17:30 local (Sep 4, 2014, 01:30 UTC)
- Place
- Homer, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N8775CPiper PA 18-135
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Nose over/nose down
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 9, 2014
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 20140903016639A
- Case key
- 90030
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 aircraft control during the landing roll.
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 practicing takeoff and landings in a tailwheel-equipped airplane, which required a correction for a light and variable southerly wind. The pilot stated that after touchdown, during the landing roll, the tail of the airplane rose up, but there was not enough elevator authority to lower the tail, and the airplane subsequently nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings, lift struts, rudder, and vertical stabilizer. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported he was practicing takeoff and landings in a tailwheel-equipped airplane, which required a correction for a light and variable southerly wind. The pilot stated that after touchdown, during the landing roll, the tail of the airplane rose up, but there was not enough elevator authority to lower the tail, and the airplane subsequently nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings, lift struts, rudder, and vertical stabilizer. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8775C
- Reported as
- Piper PA 18-135
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-2884
- Built
- 1953
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320 A2B, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 10, 2014
- Departed
- N/A · Homer, AK
- Destination
- N/A · Homer, AK
- Airport
- N/A · Martin River Strip aka Old HEA, runway 26, 2,000 × 60 ft, gravel
- Equipment
- Handheld GPS
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
- 44
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 8, 2014
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 502.2 total · 440.2 in this make and model · 458.7 as pilot in command · 145.3 in the last 90 days · 46.5 in the last 30 days · 1.1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 230° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 15,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.97 inHg
- Observed at
- PAHO, 15 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 7, 2014, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 634 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.