- Date
- July 18, 2014, 20:00 local (Jul 19, 2014, 04:00 UTC)
- Place
- Palmer, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N9783DPiper PA-18-150
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 14, 2015
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration; ANC FSDO
- FAA report
- 20140718015189A
- Case key
- 89704
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 inadvertent application of excessive brake pressure during landing on a rough surface, which resulted in a nose-over.
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 reported that he performed two low approaches over, and a touch-and-go wheel landing on, the gravel bar before attempting a full-stop landing. During the full-stop landing, the airplane struck a hole, which resulted in the pilot increasing brake pressure and the airplane subsequently nosing over. The pilot reported no mechanical anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
On July 18, 2014, at 2000 Alaska daylight time, a Piper PA-18A-150, N9783D, nosed-over and impacted terrain during landing roll on a gravel bar located in a remote location about 30 miles southeast of Palmer, Alaska. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The private pilot was uninjured. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight that was not operating on a flight plan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The flight originated from Wolf Lake Airport, Palmer, Alaska, at 1800 and was destined to the accident site location. The pilot stated that he performed two low approaches over a gravel bar prior that he attempted to land on. He then performed a touch-and-go wheel landing on the gravel bar before attempting a full-stop landing. During the landing, the airplane struck a hole, which resulted in his increasing brake pressure and nosing-over of the airplane. There were no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9783D
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18-150
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-6853
- Built
- 1959
- Airframe hours
- 3,678
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320 SERIES, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 15, 2014
- Departed
- 4AK6 · Palmer, AK
- Destination
- Palmer, 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
- 26
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 20, 2014
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 97 total · 30 in this make and model · 37 as pilot in command · 30 in the last 90 days · 12 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 48 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.65 inHg
- Observed at
- PAQ, 23 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 24, 2014, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.1 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 N9783D · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.