- Date
- April 9, 1995, 18:30 local (Apr 10, 1995, 02:30 UTC)
- Place
- Copper Center 2, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N82735Piper PA-18
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 23, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19950409049509A
- Case key
- 2600
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 not using the checklist and landing with the skis pumped down.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The airplane was equipped with wheel skis. To operate on skis, the pilot has to pump down the skis. The wheels do not touch the runway's surface with the skis pumped down. The pilot stated he did not use the checklist and landed with the skis pumped down. He landed on the semi dry runway and the airplane nosed over.
Factual narrative
On April 9, 1995, at 1830 Alaska daylight time, a wheel/ski equipped Piper PA-18 airplane, N82735, registered to and operated by the Alaska Department of Public Safety, Alaska State Troopers, nosed over during landing at Copper Center #2, Copper Center, Alaska. The public use flight, operating under 14 CFR Part 91, departed Copper Center #2 for a local flight. A visual flight rules flight plan was filed and visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The Pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured and the airplane was substantially damaged.
According to the Pilot, he landed on the semi dry runway with the skis pumped down. With the skis pumped down, the wheels did not touch the runway and the airplane nosed over. According to information provided by the Pilot on the NTSB Form 6120.1/2, he did not use the checklist before landing.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N82735
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-7709183
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-B2B, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public aircraft · Part 91
- Operator
- Brian Stevenson
- Registered owner
- State Of Alaska
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · April 7, 1995 · 10 hours before
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- Z93 · Copper Center II, runway 31, 2,500 × 100 ft, gravel
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
- 44
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 1,320 total · 1,000 in this make and model · 1,320 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 240° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 30 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 8,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 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.
Other investigations on N82735 · 3
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.