GAA16CA516

NTSB accident investigation · Piper PA 18 · Kotzebue, AK · September 26, 2016

Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
September 25, 2016, 16:30 local (Sep 26, 2016, 01:30 UTC)
Place
Kotzebue, AK
Injuries
1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N2880PPiper PA 18
Defining event
Landing: Landing area overshoot
Weather
Instrument (IMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report February 6, 2017
Report
Approved by Office Director
NTSB office
General Aviation Accidents
Parties
FAA
FAA report
20160925019589A
Case key
94099

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 selection of unsuitable terrain for an off-airport precautionary landing, 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.

Ceiling/visibility/precip: low visibilityEnvironmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on personnelPiper PA-18-150: 1 caseAll aircraft: 175 cases
Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface: snow/slush/ice covered surfaceEnvironmental issues › Physical environment · Decision related to conditionPiper PA-18-150: 7 casesAll aircraft: 219 casesProbable cause

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 tundra tire-equipped, tailwheel airplane reported that he made an off-airport precautionary landing due to icing conditions; the airplane encountered soft terrain during the landing roll and nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing and empennage. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. A review of recorded data from the intended destination's automated weather observation station about 19 miles to the south west, revealed that, about 37 minutes before the accident the wind was 120 degrees true at 14 knots, visibility 1 statue mile, light snow, mist, temperature 34 degrees Fahrenheit, dewpoint 30 degrees Fahrenheit. And, about 23 minutes after the accident the wind was 110 degrees true at 13 knots, overcast 1,700 feet, visibility 1 ¼ statue mile, light snow, mist, temperature 34 degrees Fahrenheit, dewpoint 32 degrees Fahrenheit.

Factual narrative

The pilot of the tundra tire–equipped, tailwheel airplane reported that he made an off-airport precautionary landing due to icing conditions; the airplane encountered soft terrain during the landing roll and nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing and empennage. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. A review of recorded data from the intended destination's automated weather observation station about 19 miles to the south west, revealed that, about 37 minutes before the accident the wind was 120 degrees true at 14 knots, visibility 1 statue mile, light snow, mist, temperature 34 degrees Fahrenheit, dewpoint 30 degrees Fahrenheit. And, about 23 minutes after the accident the wind was 110 degrees true at 13 knots, overcast 1700 feet, visibility 1 1/4 statue mile, light snow, mist, temperature 34 degrees Fahrenheit, dewpoint 32 degrees Fahrenheit.

Aircraft

Registration
N2880P
Reported as
Piper PA 18 (150)
Category
Airplane
Serial number
18-4477
Built
1955
Airframe hours
5,758.8
Engine
Lycoming O-320, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Business · Part 91
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · September 3, 2015
Departed
Walik River, AK
Destination
OTZ · Kotzebue, 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
47
Injuries
None
Certificate
Commercial
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Medical
Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
Last flight review
September 15, 2015
Seat
Front
Restraint
Lap only
Flight hours
1,821 total · 1,782.3 in this make and model · 85.4 in the last 90 days · 85.4 in the last 30 days · 7 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Instrument (IMC) · Day
Wind
110° at 13 knots
Lowest ceiling
1,700 ft overcast
Temperature
34 °F, dew point 32 °F
Altimeter
29.73 inHg
Icing
Unknown
Turbulence
Unknown
Observed at
PAOT, 19 nm away

Docket · 2

The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 19, 2017, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.1 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.