- Date
- May 14, 2024, 15:10 local (23:10 UTC)
- Place
- Dry Creek, AK · Remote airstrip
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N4387ZPiper PA-18-150
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: 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
- 20240514009119A
- Case key
- 194287
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 receiving instruction’s excessive use of brakes during landing, and the pilot providing instruction’s inadequate supervision, resulting in a 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 operator reported that the purpose of the flight was to provide initial off-airport training to a pilot in a tailwheel-equipped airplane. The pilot receiving instruction was seated in the front seat, and the pilot providing instruction was seated in the back seat. After completing a series of stop-and-go landings at various off-airport sites, the pair landed at a 600 ft gravel-covered site. After a brief stay at the site, the pair elected to continue practicing stop-and-go landings. During the second landing at the site, as the pilot receiving instruction was manipulating the controls, the airplane bounced slightly at touchdown, then it touched down again in a three-point landing. As the landing rollout continued, about half-way down the site, the airplane decelerated quickly, and the tail began to rise. In an attempt to lower the tail of the airplane, the pilot providing instruction applied full aft elevator, and tried to instruct the pilot receiving instruction to correct the excessive braking action. The airplane subsequently nosed over, sustaining substantial damage to the rudder, and wing struts. The operator stated that there were no pre-accident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4387Z
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18-150
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-8709
- Built
- 1968
- Airframe hours
- 6,202.9
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-B2B, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work use · Public use
- Operator
- State Of Alaska
- Registered owner
- State Of Alaska
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 26, 2024 · 25.2 hours before
- Destination
- PVT · Delta Junction, AK
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
Flight crew · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 46
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 3, 2023
- Seat
- Rear
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 3,770 total · 1,600 in this make and model · 3,670 as pilot in command · 35 in the last 90 days
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 29
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 28, 2024
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 446 total · 367 in this make and model · 352 as pilot in command · 70 in the last 90 days · 27 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 230° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 6,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 46 °F, dew point 36 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.91 inHg
- Observed at
- PABI, 39 nm away
- METAR
- PABI 142353Z 23008KT 10SM FEW022 FEW046 BKN060 BKN130 08/02 A2991 RMK AO2 RAE45 SLP143 SHRA DSNT NE/S P0000 60000 T00830022 10094 20050 56007
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 28, 2025, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.3 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.