- Date
- July 5, 2019, 15:00 local (23:00 UTC)
- Place
- Talkeetna, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N5830CPiper PA18
- Defining event
- Landing: Collision during takeoff/land
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 2, 2019
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20190705009219A
- Case key
- 99780
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 improper decision to land on rough, grassy terrain, 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 landing off-airport on rough grassy terrain, the airplane struck a "bump" and bounced. After touching down again, the pilot applied brakes with the tail up, attempting to stop the airplane before it reached the top of a hill. However, the airplane reached the top of the hill and then proceeded downhill with the tail up and hit additional bumps. Subsequently, the airplane nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and left wing lift strut. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, while landing off-airport on rough grass terrain, the airplane struck a "bump" and bounced. After touching down again, the pilot applied brakes with the tail up, attempting to stop prior to the top of the hill. The airplane continued and proceed downhill with the tail up, applying brakes and hitting additional bumps. Subsequently, the airplane nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and left wing lift strut. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5830C
- Reported as
- Piper PA18 (150)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-7778
- Built
- 1962
- Airframe hours
- 5,157.41
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320 B2B, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 1, 2018
- Departed
- MRI · Anchorage, AK
- Destination
- MRI · Anchorage, AK
- Equipment
- Unknown
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
- 27
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 16, 2019
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 87 total · 87 in this make and model · 50.2 as pilot in command · 33.2 in the last 90 days · 11.1 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 190° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 30 statute miles
- Temperature
- 86 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.20 inHg
- Observed at
- PAEC, 12 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 6, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 729 KB 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.