- Date
- April 18, 2016, 19:30 local (Apr 19, 2016, 03:30 UTC)
- Place
- Palmer, AK
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N2518APiper PA 18
- Defining event
- Landing: Nose over/nose down
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 15, 2016
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20160418006569A
- Case key
- 93074
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 decision to land on unsuitable terrain and incorrect brake application during the landing roll, which resulted in a nose over.
Findings · 5
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot of the tailwheel equipped airplane reported that during the landing roll on a sandbar, and as the sand transitioned from dry sand to wet sand, he applied brakes and the airplane nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the lift strut and the empennage. According to the pilot there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the tailwheel equipped airplane reported that during the landing roll on a sandbar, and as the sand transitioned from dry sand to wet sand, he applied brakes and the airplane nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the lift strut and the empennage. According to the pilot there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2518A
- Reported as
- Piper PA 18 (105 SPECIA)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-2148
- Built
- 1953
- Airframe hours
- 7,823.3
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 1, 2016
- Departed
- BGQ · Big Lake, AK
- Destination
- Palmer, AK
- Equipment
- Handheld GPS
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
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- August 22, 2015
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 300 total · 300 in this make and model · 300 as pilot in command · 8 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 140° at 16 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 9,500 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 48 °F, dew point 27 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.92 inHg
- Observed at
- PAAQ, 6 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 31, 2016, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 941 KB in all.
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 N2518A · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.