# NTSB ANC19LA053: Piper PA18, N5057Y, Chugiak, AK, September 5, 2019 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report - Date: September 5, 2019, 15:40 local (23:40 UTC) - Place: Chugiak, AK - Coordinates: 61.41611, -149.508331 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=61.4161&lon=-149.5083&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-landing roll: Nose over/nose down](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 100281 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC19LA053 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/100281/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=100281 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC19LA053 ## Probable cause One of the pilot’s inadvertent application of the airplane's brakes, which resulted in a nose over. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Performance/control parameters: surface speed/braking](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062045): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Incorrect use/operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-18-150, 14 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062045/cases.md?model=7101828), [All aircraft, 238 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062045/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Instructor/check pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-18-150, 160 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=7101828), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-18-150, 160 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=7101828), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: use of equip/system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015): Personnel issues › Task performance · Instructor/check pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-18-150, 20 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015/cases.md?model=7101828), [All aircraft, 1,391 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: use of equip/system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-18-150, 20 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015/cases.md?model=7101828), [All aircraft, 1,391 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-landing roll: Nose over/nose down](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-18-150, 83 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md?model=7101828), [All aircraft, 2,287 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md) ## Analysis According to the flight instructor, he took control of the airplane from the private pilot receiving instruction to demonstrate a landing. During the landing rollout and after the tailwheel was down, he noticed the tail begin to rise. As the tail continued to rise, he asked the pilot receiving instruction "what are you doing?" The pilot receiving instruction responded "I don't know, what are you doing?" The airplane subsequently nosed over, resulting in substantial damage to the right lift strut and rudder. Both pilots denied applying pressure to the heel brake pedals. ; however, one of them had to have inadvertently applied the heel brakes fore the tailwheel to rise. An inspection of the airplane revealed no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. ## Factual narrative On September 5, 2019, about 1540 Alaska daylight time, a tundra tire and tailwheel-equipped Piper PA-18 Super Cub airplane, N5057Y, sustained substantial damage following a nose over while landing at Birchwood Airport (BCV), Chugiak, Alaska. The flight instructor and private pilot receiving instruction were not injured. The airplane was registered to a private individual and operated by the flight instructor, under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 when the accident occurred. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed. The local area instructional flight departed BCV. According to the pilot receiving instruction, the instructor had taken control of the airplane to demonstrate a landing. After touchdown and during the landing roll on runway 20L, an 1,800 ft. long by 50 ft. wide gravel-covered site, the airplane nosed over sustaining substantial damage to the right lift strut and rudder. The flight instructor reported that he took control of the airplane to demonstrate a landing. He said that, during the landing rollout and after the tailwheel was down, he noticed the tail begin to rise. As the tail continued to rise, he asked the pilot receiving instruction "what are you doing?", and he responded "I don't know, what are you doing?" Both pilots indicated that they were not applying pressure on the heel brake pedals during the event. An inspection of the airplane, by the FAA, revealed no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. The closest weather reporting facility is PABV. At 1556, a METAR from PABV was reporting in part: wind, 260° at 3 knots; visibility, 10 statute miles; sky condition, clear; temperature, 63° F; dew point 46° F; and an altimeter setting of 30.20 inches of mercury. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N5057Y](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N5057Y), registered now, S/N 18-7890, built 1962 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA18 (150) - Registry model: [Piper PA-18-150](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-18-150) (registry code 7101828) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 18-7890 - Year built: 1962 - Airframe hours: 2023 - Engines: Lycoming O-320 SERIES 150 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, July 4, 2019 - Departed: BCV, Chugiak, AK - Destination: BCV, Chugiak, AK - Airport: BCV, Birchwood, runway 20L, 1,800 × 50 ft, gravel - Equipment: None ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Flight instructor; age 28; injuries: none; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine sea, single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review June 27, 2019; seat: rear; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 3,500 total, 75 in this make and model, 2,800 as pilot in command, 250 in the last 90 days, 75 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours - Pilot; age 32; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review March 14, 2018; seat: front; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 349 total, 4 in this make and model, 297 as pilot in command, 4 in the last 90 days, 4 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 260° at 3 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 63 °F, dew point 46 °F - Altimeter: 30.20 inHg - Observed at: PABV ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20190905009879A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20190905009879A), Sep 5, 2019: Piper PA-18-150, Birchwood, AK, Substantial damage. CFI lost control upon landing, may have applied brakes and the aircraft nosed over onto its back. ## Other investigations on N5057Y (2) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB ANC07LA020](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC07LA020), Feb 13, 2007: Piper PA-18-150 (N5057Y), Gulkana, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The partial loss of engine power for an undetermined reason during takeoff, which resulted in an aborted takeoff and collision with trees. - [NTSB ANC05LA009](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC05LA009), Oct 17, 2004: Piper PA-18 (N5057Y), Chickaloon, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane, which resulted in a collision with terrrain during the landing roll. Factors contributing to the accident were a rough/rutted and… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 15, 2020, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=100281. 3.8 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 3.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40482432&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Photo (item 2, .PDF, 229 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40482433&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo-Master.PDF From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.