- Date
- June 14, 1998, 09:00 local (17:00 UTC)
- Place
- Nikiski, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N54247Piper PA-18-160
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 30, 2000
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19980614020819A
- Case key
- 3157
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's use of excessive brake application during landing roll.
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 certificated private pilot was landing on a remote gravel bar. The pilot reported that upon touch down, he applied excessive braking. The airplane's tail came up, and the airplane nosed over. The pilot stated that: '... it was just pilot error.... I just hit the brakes too hard.' The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and wing lift struts. The pilot indicated that there were no preimpact mechanical difficulties with the airplane.
Factual narrative
On June 14, 1998, about 0900 Alaska daylight time, a tundra tire equipped Piper PA-18-160 airplane, N54247, sustained substantial damage during landing, about 30 miles northwest of Nikiski, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) personal flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The solo private pilot/owner was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated at the Wasilla Airport, Wasilla, Alaska, about 0630.
During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge on June 16, the pilot reported that while landing on a gravel bar, he applied excessive braking. The airplane's tail came up, and the airplane nosed over. The pilot stated that: "... it was just pilot error.... I just hit the brakes too hard." The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and wing lift struts.
The pilot indicated that there were no preimpact mechanical difficulties with the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N54247
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18-160
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-7609049
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-A2B, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Melvin R. Hill
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 15, 1996
- Departed
- 4A1 · Wasilla, AK
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
- 56
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 1,500 total · 1,500 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 50 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 55 °F
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 N54247 · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.