- Date
- September 18, 2016, 13:00 local (21:00 UTC)
- Place
- McGrath, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N5773DPiper PA 18
- Defining event
- Taxi: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 5, 2016
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20160918021169A
- Case key
- 94036
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 excessive taxi speed, which resulted in a loss of control and subsequent 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 had landed his tailwheel-equipped airplane on a rough and uneven, soft, off-airport landing site in gusty wind conditions. He reported that he had landed at the same spot the previous day, but at a higher gross weight. While back taxiing the airplane became stuck, he applied near full power and the airplane began to roll. In an effort to avoid becoming stuck again, he chose to taxi at a higher than normal speed and power setting. He stated that the airplane began to accelerate and in an effort to slow down, he applied the main wheel brakes while simultaneously hitting a large tussock. The airplane nosed over sustaining substantial damage to the rudder and vertical stabilizer. The pilot stated that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. In the recommendation section of the NTSB Accident/Incident Reporting Form 6120.1, the pilot stated that the accident may have been prevented if he had shut down the airplane and walked the landing zone prior to taxi to look for hazards, or if he had a better understanding of how gross weight affects airplane control while on the ground.
Factual narrative
The pilot had landed his tailwheel-equipped airplane on a rough and uneven, soft, off-airport landing site in gusty wind conditions. He reported that he had landed at the same spot the previous day, but at a higher gross weight. While back taxiing the airplane became stuck, he applied near full power and the airplane began to roll. In an effort to avoid becoming stuck again, he chose to taxi at a higher than normal speed and power setting. He stated that the airplane began to accelerate and in an effort to slow down, he applied the main wheel brakes while simultaneously hitting a large tussock. The airplane nosed over sustaining substantial damage to the rudder and vertical stabilizer. The pilot stated that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. In the recommendation section of the NTSB Accident/Incident Reporting Form 6120.1, the pilot stated that the accident may have been prevented if he had shut down the airplane and walked the landing zone prior to taxi to look for hazards, or if he had a better understanding of how gross weight affects airplane control while on the ground.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5773D
- Reported as
- Piper PA 18 (105SPECIAL)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-5275
- Built
- 1956
- Airframe hours
- 5,321
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360 A2A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 21, 2016
- Destination
- McGrath, AK
- Equipment
- Electronic primary flight display
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
- 36
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 6, 2016
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 751 total · 650 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 300° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 5,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 46 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.02 inHg
- Observed at
- PAMC
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 6, 2016, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.9 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 N5773D · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.