# NTSB ANC26LA041: Piper PA-11, N4997M, Susitna, AK, May 16, 2026

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Investigation open
- Date: May 15, 2026, 16:30 local (May 16, 2026, 00:30 UTC)
- Place: Susitna, AK · Sand bar
- Coordinates: 61.39917, -150.4822
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=61.3992&lon=-150.4822&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Taxi](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/250) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Taxi: Nose over/nose down](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Investigation ongoing
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office
- Parties: FAA
- NTSB case key (mKey): 203000
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC26LA041
- Latest NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/203000/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC26LA041

## Sequence of events

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

- [Taxi: Nose over/nose down](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-11, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md?model=7101102), [All aircraft, 2,287 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md)

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N4997M](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N4997M), registered now, S/N 11-485, built 1948 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-11
- Registry model: [Piper PA-11](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-11) (registry code 7101102) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Continental C90 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-c90-series) (registry code 17009, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 11-485
- Year built: 1948
- Airframe hours: 6334
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Registered owner: Niner-Niner-7-Mike LLC
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Departed: PALH, Anchorage, AK
- Destination: Same as departure
- Equipment: None

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 200° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Temperature: 54 °F, dew point 37 °F
- Altimeter: 29.91 inHg
- Observed at: PANC, 19 nm away
- METAR: METAR PANC 152353Z COR 20007KT 10SM FEW045 SCT060 SCT150 12/03 A2991 RMK AO2 SLP129 T01170028 10128 20078 50001

## 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 20260515004959A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20260515004959A), May 15, 2026: Piper PA-11, Big Lake, AK, Substantial damage. Pilot departed lake hood (lhd) gravel strip, for a flight to the susitna river area. Pilot initiated an approach to land on a sand bar on the susitna river.…

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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