- Date
- November 8, 2021, 15:15 local (Nov 9, 2021, 00:15 UTC)
- Place
- Yukon Charlie River, AK · L20
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Other
- Aircraft
- N413CCCub Crafters CC-18-180
- Defining event
- Other: Nose over/nose down
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20211108019029A
- Case key
- 104234
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 selection of an unsuitable landing site, which resulted in a 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 reported that he had completed one high to mid-level reconnaissance flight over the snow-covered runway in his tundra tire tailwheel-equipped airplane. Before landing, he intended to fly a low pass and drag the main landing gear along the surface of the runway to determine the depth of the snow. As the main landing gear wheels touched down atop the snow, he stated it initially felt okay but also felt deeper than what he had anticipated. He applied full power and began to apply back stick pressure, but he felt the snow consistency change to a punchy feeling, and the airplane’s tail began to rise. Subsequently, the airplane nosed over and sustained substantial damage to the rudder and right-wing lift strut. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N413CC
- Reported as
- Cub Crafters CC-18-180
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- CC18-0065
- Built
- 2013
- Airframe hours
- 1,388.8
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-C4P, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public aircraft · Part 91
- Operator
- US Dept Of The Interior
- Registered owner
- US Dept Of The Interior
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special); Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 27, 2021
- Departed
- PAEG · Eagle, AK
- Destination
- Same as departure
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
- Airport
- L20 · Coal Creek, runway 01, 3,900 × 80 ft, snow
- Equipment
- ADS-B, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Satellite tracking device, Stall warning system
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
- 37
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- October 29, 2021
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 5-point
- Flight hours
- 2,274 total · 975 in this make and model · 2,105 as pilot in command · 160 in the last 90 days · 42 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 6,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 5 °F, dew point -0 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.93 inHg
- Observed at
- PAEG, 59 nm away
- METAR
- PAEG 090053Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM OVC060 M15/M18 A2993 RMK AO2 SLP161 T11501178 TSNO
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 21, 2022, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.1 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 N413CC · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.