- Date
- April 23, 2016, 17:00 local (Apr 24, 2016, 01:00 UTC)
- Place
- Talkeetna, AK
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N247TPiper PA18S
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 15, 2016
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20160423023939A
- Case key
- 93088
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 failure to maintain pitch control during the landing roll, which resulted in a nose over.
Findings · 4
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 a tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that he decided to land on an off-airport gravel bar. During the landing roll, the pilot reported that a "tailwind gust" lifted the airplane's tail and the airplane nosed over. The right wing lift strut and windscreen were substantially damaged. The pilot did not report any mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot of a tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that he decided to land on an off-airport gravel bar. During the landing roll, the pilot reported that a "tailwind gust" lifted the airplane's tail and the airplane nosed over. The right wing lift strut and windscreen were substantially damaged. The pilot did not report any mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N247T
- Reported as
- Piper PA18S (105SPECIAL)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-2361
- Built
- 1953
- Airframe hours
- 3,220.5
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-B3B, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 22, 2016
- Departed
- IYS · Wasilla, AK
- Destination
- IYS · Wasilla, 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
- 28
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 17, 2015
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 250 total · 50 in this make and model · 170 as pilot in command · 50 in the last 90 days · 25 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 9,500 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 57 °F, dew point 32 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.78 inHg
- Observed at
- PATK, 75 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 8, 2016, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.3 MB 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 N247T · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.