- Date
- January 2, 2023, 14:57, time zone not recorded
- Place
- Kenai, AK · Road
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N94XPiper PA-18-150
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- 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
- 20230102001149A
- Case key
- 106557
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 failure to maintain directional control during landing in flat light conditions, resulting in the airplane to 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, during landing on a road in flat light conditions he drifted to the right after touching down and the right tire struck unplowed snow. The pilot was unable to correct, and the airplane continued to the right into a snow berm. Subsequently, it nosed over sustaining substantial damage to the wings, lift struts, and rudder. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N94X
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18-150
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-7858
- Built
- 1962
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 25, 2022 · 1 hours before
- Departed
- ENA · Kenai, AK
- Destination
- AK73 · Nikiski, AK
- Airport
- AK73 · McGahan Industrial
- Equipment
- Satellite tracking device, Handheld GPS, ADS-B, 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
- 61
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- January 9, 2019
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 778 total · 320 in this make and model · 750 as pilot in command · 3 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 32 °F
- Altimeter
- 2896.00 inHg
- METAR
- SA 03/01/2023 01:53->METAR PAEN 030153Z 12006KT 10SM BKN100 02/M01 A2903 RMK AO2 SLP831 T00221011=
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 30, 2023, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.0 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.