- Date
- October 13, 2016, 16:45 local (Oct 14, 2016, 00:45 UTC)
- Place
- Palmer, AK
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N2791PPiper PA18
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Nose over/nose down
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 18, 2017
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20161013021859A
- Case key
- 94230
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 airplane's encounter with a depression while the pilot applied excessive braking during the landing roll on a grass airstrip, 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 the tailwheel equipped airplane reported that while braking during the landing roll on a gravel airstrip the right main tire encountered a ground depression. Subsequently, the airplane nosed over and sustained substantial damage to the right wing lift strut and vertical stabilizer. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident 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 while braking during the landing roll on a gravel airstrip the right main tire encountered a ground depression. Subsequently, the airplane nosed over and sustained substantial damage to the right wing lift strut and vertical stabilizer. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2791P
- Reported as
- Piper PA18 (A)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-4426
- Built
- 1955
- Airframe hours
- 3,409.7
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-A2B, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 13, 2016
- Departed
- AQY · Girdwood, AK
- Destination
- Palmer, AK
- Equipment
- None
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
- 36
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 27, 2015
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 276.5 total · 219.3 in this make and model · 276.5 as pilot in command · 5.3 in the last 90 days · 3.7 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 230° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 48 °F, dew point 25 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.32 inHg
- Observed at
- PAAQ, 18 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 5, 2016, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.5 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 N2791P · 5
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.