# NTSB ANC93LA103: Piper PA-18-150, N13880, Uganik River, AK, June 28, 1993

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: June 27, 1993, 16:30 local (Jun 28, 1993, 00:30 UTC)
- Place: Uganik River, AK
- Coordinates: 57.789852, -152.399124 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=57.7899&lon=-152.3991&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report August 17, 1994
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office
- NTSB case key (mKey): 2370
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC93LA103
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/2370/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC93LA103

## Probable cause

PILOT IN COMMANDS FAILURE TO COMPENSATE ADEQUATELY FOR SHIFTING WIND CONDITIONS AND HIS SELECTION OF UNSUITABLE TERRAIN ON WHICH TO LAND.  A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE ROUGH UNEVEN TERRAIN LANDING STRIP.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Nose over, landing - roll
  - terrain condition - rough/uneven (contributing factor)
  - compensation for wind conditions - not maintained, pilot in command (cause)
  - unsuitable terrain or takeoff/landing/taxi area - selected, pilot in command (cause)

## Analysis

THE PILOT IN COMMAND OF THE TUNDRA TIRE EQUIPPED AIRCRAFT ELECTED TO LAND ON A SHORT GRAVEL BAR STRIP WHICH WAS STREWN WITH ROCKS. COMPENSATION FOR SHIFTING WINDS WAS NOT MADE AND THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER. THE PILOT OVERFLEW THE STRIP PRIOR TO LANDING BUT DID NOT DETECT HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS.

## Factual narrative

On June 27, 1993, at approximately 1630 Alaska daylight time, a tundra tire equipped PA18-150 airplane, N13880, nosed over on landing at a gravel bar landing strip on the Uganik River, 30 miles west of the town of Kodiak, Alaska.  The sole occupant, a certificated private pilot, had departed Kodiak Municipal at 1530 with a stop at Port Lyons, also on Kodiak Island.  The personal flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91 in visual meteorological conditions, without a flight plan.  The pilot was not injured, however the airplane sustained substantial damage.

The pilot told the investigators that he had overflown the landing area on two passes before landing; however, when he landed the wind was "squirrelly [sic] and probably should have gone around, (and) couldn't stop it, it went over."  He said that when he examined the airplane after righting it that the damage included a bent rudder, one upper and one lower bent longeron as well.

In a statement to the NTSB, the pilot recommended that he should (in the future) land shorter, avoid boulders and use less brake pressure.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N13880](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N13880), registered now, S/N 18-7409051, built 1974 (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 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 7409051
- Airframe hours: 2074
- Engines: LYCOMING O-320-A2B 160 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Operator: Merriman, Thomas W., doing business as Mack'S Sport Shop, Inc.
- Registered owner: Mack'S Sport Shop, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Provisional (Special); Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, June 24, 1992, 103 hours before
- Departed: KDK, KODIAK MUNI, AK

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 57; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land, single-engine sea; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: front; flight hours: 444 total, 389 in this make and model, 355 as pilot in command, 31 in the last 90 days, 25 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 330° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 3,500 ft overcast
- Temperature: 55 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg

## 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 19930627025799A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19930627025799A), Jun 27, 1993: Piper PA18150, West Point Vill, AK, Substantial damage. Nosed over tundra tire equipped PA18 landing on sandbar. Landed long struck rock and used heavy braking.

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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