Piper PA18
Chisana, AK — July 29, 2020
Event Information
| Date | July 29, 2020 |
| Event Type | ACC |
| NTSB Number | ANC20CA075 |
| Event ID | 20200804X74552 |
| Location | Chisana, AK |
| Country | USA |
| Coordinates | 62.13083, -141.85638 |
| Highest Injury | NONE |
Aircraft
| Make | Piper |
| Model | PA18 |
| Category | AIR |
| FAR Part | 091 |
| Aircraft Damage | SUBS |
Conditions
| Light Condition | DAYL |
| Weather | VMC |
Injuries
| Fatal | 0 |
| Serious | 0 |
| Minor | 0 |
| None | 1 |
| Total Injured | 0 |
Event Location
Probable Cause
The pilot's overapplication of brakes during landing in gusting tailwind conditions, which resulted in a nose-over.
Full Narrative
The pilot reported that, during landing on an uphill, 800-ft-long unimproved airstrip in his tailwheel-equipped airplane, the airplane encountered a strong tailwind gust. The pilot landed the airplane beyond the intended point of landing and applied full brakes to avoid hitting terrain, and the airplane subsequently nosed over. The vertical stabilizer and the wing lift struts sustained substantial damage.
The pilot stated that before the accident, the wind on nearby lakes was light from the west, and he anticipated a tailwind landing to the east; however, after the accident the wind was gusting to 25 knots. He added that the airstrip had no safe go-around route due to terrain and slope.
The pilot stated that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
About This NTSB Record
This aviation event was investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). NTSB investigates all U.S. civil aviation accidents to determine probable cause and issue safety recommendations to prevent future accidents.