- Date
- September 25, 2017, 13:00 local (21:00 UTC)
- Place
- Beluga, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N3797ZPiper PA 18
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 14, 2018
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20170925020909A
- Case key
- 96142
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 inability to maintain pitch control due to an encounter with a tailwind gust after the airplane had stopped, 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
According to the pilot in the tailwheel-equipped airplane, he landed on tundra that had an uphill slope. Before touchdown, the pilot shut off the engine "in case of a nose over event." He reported that, after the landing roll, when the airplane was completely stopped on level ground, a tailwind gust lifted the tail. The airplane balanced on the nose for about 10 seconds, a second gust pushed the airplane over, and it came to rest inverted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the rudder. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
According to the pilot in the tailwheel-equipped airplane, he landed on tundra that had an uphill slope. Prior to touch down, the pilot shut off the engine "in case of a nose over event." He reported that after the landing roll, when the airplane was completely stopped on level ground, a tailwind gust lifted the tail. The airplane balanced on the nose for about 10 seconds, a second gust pushed the airplane over, and it came to rest inverted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the rudder. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3797Z
- Reported as
- Piper PA 18 (150)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-7492
- Built
- 1960
- Airframe hours
- 6,684.8
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A2A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 10, 2017
- Departed
- Anchorage, AK
- Destination
- Beluga, 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
- 49
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 30, 2016
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 1,370 total · 1,240 in this make and model · 1,330 as pilot in command · 108 in the last 90 days · 60 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 39 °F
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 2, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.2 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 N3797Z · 3
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.