- Date
- June 8, 1996, 16:45 local (Jun 9, 1996, 00:45 UTC)
- Place
- Fairbanks, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N8560CPiper PA-18
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 18, 1997
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19960609013139A
- Case key
- 2849
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 obstruction of the left rudder pedal and brake by the battery cable.
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
During landing the airplane started to veer to the left. The pilot applied right rudder and right brake. The airplane continued to veer to the left. The pilot applied maximum braking and the airplane nosed over. Examination of the airplane showed that the battery had been moved from the rear of the airplane to a location underneath the instrument panel in accordance with a Supplemental Type Certificate. The battery cable would contact the left rudder pedal and brake when the right rudder pedal was applied. This contact with the battery cable applied uncommanded left brake pressure.
Factual narrative
On June 8, 1996, at 1645 Alaska daylight time, a wheel equipped Piper PA-18 airplane, N8560C, registered to James Pinker of Fairbanks, Alaska, and operated by the pilot, nosed over during landing on the ski strip at Fairbanks International Airport, Fairbanks, Alaska. The personal flight, operating under 14 CFR Part 91, departed Fairbanks for a local flight. No flight plan was filed and visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The certificated private pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The airplane was substantially damage.
According to the Fairbanks Airport Police, who interviewed the pilot, he stated that the left brake on the airplane's wheel felt like it was dragging. The airplane veered to the left and departed the airstrip. The pilot applied maximum braking and the airplane nosed over, damaging the rudder and right wing struts.
On June 21, 1996, the airplane wreckage was examined by Federal Aviation Administration, Fairbanks Flight Standards District Office Inspectors Mr. Robert Haxby and Mr. Hugh Keith. They found that both wheels would turn freely by hand. Further examination showed that the battery cable was contacting the top of the left brake pedal. The Inspectors pushed on the right rudder pedal and found that the left rudder pedal and brake would contact the battery cable. As a result, this applied uncommanded left brake.
The airplane was modified with a Supplemental Type Certificate which allowed the movement of the battery from behind the baggage compartment to underneath the instrument panel. The cables are secured to the firewall with clamps. According to the owner, the modification was accomplished by Mr. Curt Stolfsus of Homer, Alaska, approximately 3 years before the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8560C
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-2713
- Airframe hours
- 4,246
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-A2B, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Joseph A. Nava
- Registered owner
- James Pinker
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 1, 1996 · 6 hours before
- Departed
- 2Z5 · AK
- Destination
- FAI · AK
- Airport
- FAI · Fairbanks International, runway 19, 3,978 × 75 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
- 65
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 300 total · 200 in this make and model · 240 as pilot in command · 6 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 230° at 9 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility
- 60 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 11,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 30 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- FAI
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 N8560C · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.