# NTSB CEN22LA422: Piper PA-18-150, N590DC, Galena, AK, September 7, 2022 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: September 6, 2022, 17:00 local (Sep 7, 2022, 01:00 UTC) - Place: Galena, AK · Sand Bar - Coordinates: 64.2645, -158.2642 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=64.2645&lon=-158.2642&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing: Nose over/nose down](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 105949 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN22LA422 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/105949/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=105949 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN22LA422 ## Probable cause The pilot’s selection of unsuitable terrain for landing which resulted in a nose over. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Aircraft capability: braking capability](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01061050): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Capability exceeded (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-18-150, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01061050/cases.md?model=7101828), [All aircraft, 57 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01061050/cases.md) - [Terrain: rough terrain](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021015): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Effect on equipment; cases with it: [Piper PA-18-150, 19 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021015/cases.md?model=7101828), [All aircraft, 442 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021015/cases.md) - [Knowledge: knowledge of geographic area](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02032030): Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge · Pilot; cases with it: [Piper PA-18-150, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02032030/cases.md?model=7101828), [All aircraft, 24 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02032030/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing: Nose over/nose down](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-18-150, 83 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md?model=7101828), [All aircraft, 2,287 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090); cases with it: [Piper PA-18-150, 15 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md?model=7101828), [All aircraft, 1,506 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that during the landing rollout on a remote sandbar, the airplane’s main tires encountered an area of soft sand and the airplane nosed over, which resulted in substantial damage to the rudder. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N590DC](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N590DC), registered now, S/N 18-6245, built 1958 (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: 18-6245 - Year built: 1958 - Airframe hours: 4000 - Engines: Lycoming 0-320 160 hp reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Aleksey Sokirkin - Registered owner: Grizzly Mechanical and Electric - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: Gala, AK - Airport: n/a - Equipment: Unknown ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 31; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3; flight hours: 400 total, 300 in this make and model, 30 in the last 90 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Dusk - Temperature: 55 °F, dew point 46 °F - Altimeter: 2983.00 inHg - Observed at: PAGA - METAR: METAR PAGA 070056Z AUTO 10SM SCT046 BKN055 13/08 A2983 RMK AO2 SLP103 T01280083 $= ## 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 20220906015729A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20220906015729A), Sep 6, 2022: Piper PA-18-150, Yukon Koyukuk, AK, Substantial damage. Pilot opted to land on a gravel bar along a river during a hunting trip. Towards the end of the rollout, the pilot encountered soft sand, which fliped the… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 24, 2022, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=105949. 6.7 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 6.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14469170&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Photos (item 2, PDF, 3 pages, 714 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14593869&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Accident%20Airplane%20Photo%20Array-Rel.pdf 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.