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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

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NTSB Report

August 11, 2002 · Piper PA-18 · N83272

Copper Center, AK

Overview

Report Status
Final with probable cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
August 11, 2002
Injury Outcomes
No injuries (1 uninjured)
Location
Copper Center, AK
Aircraft
Piper PA-18
Tail Number
N83272
Injuries
None
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
NTSB Number
ANC02LA094

The private certificated pilot was landing a tundra tire-equipped airplane on rough/uneven terrain at a remote airstrip. The airstrip, oriented east/west, is about 800 feet long and 9 feet wide. The pilot said he landed toward the west in an area of tundra and rocks, and during the landing roll, the right tire hit rocks and the airplane bounced. He applied the brakes as the right tire entered bushes along the edge of the landing area. The airplane nosed over and received damage to the propeller, the left wing lift strut, the right wing, and the rudder.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot's selection of unsuitable terrain for landing, resulting in a nose-over during the landing roll. A factor contributing to the accident was rough/uneven terrain.

Full Narrative

On August 10, 2002, about 2100 Alaska daylight time, a tundra tire-equipped Piper PA-18 airplane, N83272, sustained substantial damage when it nosed over during a landing on rough/uneven terrain at a remote airstrip, about 25 miles east-northeast of Copper Center, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) cross-country personal flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The airplane was operated by the pilot. The private certificated pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight originated at the Gulkana Airport, Gulkana, Alaska, about 2020. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), on August 11, the pilot reported that he was landing at a hunting camp to pick up a passenger. The camp was located along the Chickokna River in the Wrangell-Saint Elias National Preserve. The pilot said the airstrip, oriented east/west, is about 800 feet long and 9 feet wide. He said he landed toward the west in an area of tundra and rocks, and during the landing roll, the right tire hit rocks and the airplane bounced. He applied the brakes as the right tire entered bushes along the edge of the landing area. The airplane nosed over and received damage to the propeller, the left wing lift strut, the right wing, and the rudder. The airplane's emergency locator transmitter (ELT) was activated during the accident, and search personnel located the airplane the following day.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time21:00 AKDT
Nearest Airport0nm
Runway Length800 ft
Runway Width9 ft
Flight Plan FiledNone
Flight Plan ActivatedNo
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftPiper PA-18
Tail NumberN83272
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageSubstantial
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsLycoming · O-320-A2B · Reciprocating · 150
Seats2

People & Injuries

Injury SummaryNo injuries (1 uninjured)
Fatal0
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured1
Total1
Crew 1Age 35 · Third Class · None

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
Wind225° @ 10 kt
Visibility10 sm
CeilingBroken clouds 7500 ft
Temperature / Dew Point45 C / 0 C
Altimeter0
Weather SourcePILO

Appendix: Source Data