- Date
- June 15, 2019, 18:00 local (Jun 16, 2019, 02:00 UTC)
- Place
- Beluga, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N91144Piper PA18
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Status
- Completed · report April 13, 2020
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- FAA report
- 20190616007079A
- Case key
- 99646
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 landing, which resulted in a noseover.
Findings · 2
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 reported that, during landing on a remote area, the airplane touched down on the soft tundra, and the airplane nosed over. The pilot added that a better visual assessment of the landing area might have prevented this accident. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot in the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, he had previously landed in the remote area. During landing, the airplane touched down on the soft tundra, "causing the airplane to nose over." Additionally, the pilot reported that a better visual assessment of the landing area may have prevented this accident. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N91144
- Reported as
- Piper PA18 (150)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-8109075
- Built
- 1981
- Airframe hours
- 6,636
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-B2B, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 16, 2019
- Departed
- LHD · Anchorage, AK
- Destination
- Beluga, AK
- Equipment
- Stall warning system
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
- 75
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 23, 2019
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 8,513 total · 8,000 in this make and model · 8,513 as pilot in command · 15 in the last 90 days · 15 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Wind
- 150° at 18 knots, gusting 30
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 20,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Observed at
- PANC, 12 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 18, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.5 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 N91144 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.