# NTSB ANC22LA081: Piper PA-18-150, N4144E, Chignik Lake, AK, September 23, 2022

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: September 23, 2022, 11:00 local (19:00 UTC)
- Place: Chignik Lake, AK
- Coordinates: 56.394611, -158.83161
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=56.3946&lon=-158.8316&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Taxi](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/250) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Taxi-from runway: Nose over/nose down](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office
- Parties: FAA/FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 106000
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC22LA081
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/106000/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=106000
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC22LA081

## Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain airplane control during taxi in gusty conditions, which resulted in a nose-over and substantial damage to the rudder and wings.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Performance/control parameters: directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-18-150, 98 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md?model=7101828), [All aircraft, 3,958 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md)
- [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · 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)
- [Wind](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034000): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-18-150, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034000/cases.md?model=7101828), [All aircraft, 110 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034000/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Taxi-from runway: 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 pilot, after he landed, he taxied the airplane to the top of the hill to pick up a load he was going to transport and then past it to turn the airplane around. He turned the airplane slowly to maintain control, and then taxied down the hill back to the load and noted the wind was now a tailwind. The pilot applied the brakes to stop the airplane, but the wind lifted the tail, and the airplane nosed over, resulting in substantial damage to the rudder and wings. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N4144E](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N4144E), registered now, S/N 18-7809084, built 1978 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-18-150
- Registry model: [Piper PA-18-150](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-18-150) (registry code 7101828) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming O-360-A2A](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-360-a2a) (registry code 42261, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 18-7809084
- Year built: 1978
- Airframe hours: 5260.1
- Engines: Lycoming O-360-A2A 180 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Other work use, Part 91
- Operator: Tradewind LLC, doing business as Glacier Air, LLC
- Registered owner: Tradewind LLC
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal; Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection: 100 hour, August 26, 2022
- Departed: KCL, Chignik Lagoon, AK
- Destination: Same as departure
- Flight plan: Company VFR
- Airport: NONE, Fan Creek
- Equipment: Handheld GPS

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 51; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review November 19, 2021; seat: front; flight hours: 2,512 total, 2,111 in this make and model, 2,455 as pilot in command, 322 in the last 90 days, 74 in the last 30 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 30° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 48 °F, dew point 37 °F
- Altimeter: 29.52 inHg
- Observed at: PAJC, 16 nm away
- METAR: PAJC 231857Z AUTO 03005KT 10SM CLR 09/03 A2952 RMK AO2 SLP997 T00940033 PNO $

## Docket (2 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 21, 2022, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=106000. 4.8 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 3.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14530101&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=LA081%206120_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Investigative photographs (item 2, PDF, 3 pages, 1.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14529837&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Array%20LA081-Rel.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.

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