# NTSB ANC97LA132: Piper PA-18, N9771D, Palmer, AK, August 26, 1997 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 26, 1997, 14:00 local (22:00 UTC) - Place: Palmer, AK - Coordinates: 61.620243, -148.979217 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=61.6202&lon=-148.9792&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor - Status: Completed, report September 4, 1998 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 3053 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC97LA132 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/3053/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC97LA132 ## Probable cause binding or braking action of the left brake for undetermined reason(s). ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Nose over, landing - roll - reason for occurrence undetermined (cause) - landing gear,normal brake system - binding(mechanical) (cause) ## Analysis During the first landing at an off-airport, gravel, landing site, the airplane veered left. The pilot applied full right rudder and brake, and aft stick. The tail began to settle, then came back up. The airplane nosed over onto its back. Scuff marks in the gravel indicated heavy braking from the left tire. While inverted, both wheels could be rotated, but the left wheel exhibited more drag than the right. ## Factual narrative On August 26, 1997, at 1400 Alaska daylight time, a tundra tire equipped Piper PA-18 airplane, N9771D, sustained substantial damage when it nosed over during touch and go landings at a gravel landing strip on the Knik River, five miles south of Palmer, Alaska. The airplane was equipped with 30 inch tundra tires. The solo airline transport certificated pilot sustained minor injuries. The flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and no flight plan was filed. The pilot told the NTSB investigator that he intended to warm the engine for an oil change. He departed the Sky Ranch private airstrip subdivision in Palmer at 1357 and flew to the gravel, off airport landing site, to perform touch and go landings. During the first landing, the airplane veered left, and the pilot applied full right rudder and brake. The tail subsequently came up, began to settle, then the airplane nosed over. The pilot reported that there were heavy scuff marks in the gravel where the left tire had touched down, indicating heavy braking. He described rotating the wheels on the inverted airplane by hand, and that the left tire rotated somewhat normally, but stopped more quickly than the right. The pilot indicated on his NTSB Pilot/Operator Report that there was no mechanical malfunction or failure. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N9771D](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N9771D), registered now, S/N 18-6830, built 1959 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA-18 - 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: 18-6830 - Airframe hours: 3699 - Engines: Lycoming O-320-A2A 150 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Albert F. Novak - Registered owner: Gary Lee Foster - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, July 20, 1997, 133 hours before - Departed: SKY RANCH, AK ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 57; flight instructor, commercial, flight engineer, airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, single-engine sea, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: front; flight hours: 30,379 total, 332 in this make and model, 19 in the last 90 days, 5 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 100 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 57 °F ## 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 19970826024009A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970826024009A), Aug 26, 1997: Piper PA18, Palmer, AK, Substantial damage. Aircraft crashed on landing. (.19) on August 26, 1997, at 1400 Alaska daylight time, a tundra tire equipped Piper PA-18 airplane, N9771D, sustained substantial… 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.