Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Kenai, Alaska 99611
Saturday, June 15, 2002 11:30 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The solo private pilot reported to the NTSB that he was landing on a remote river sandbar in a tail wheel-equipped airplane. He said that just after touchdown, a gust of wind from the left pushed the airplane to the right, and in an attempt to realign the airplane, he applied full left rudder and heavy braking action. As the airplane neared the end of the 900 foot long site, the airplane nosed over, and sustained substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer. The pilot said that he applied too much brake pressure in an attempt to stop the airplane before reaching the end of the site, and that there were no preaccident mechanical problems with the airplane.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions, and the excessive use of the airplane's brakes, which resulted in a nose over. A contributing factor to the accident was a wind gust.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/15/2002
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1130
Event Time Zone --
Event City Kenai
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99611
Event Date Year 2002
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 583800N
Event Location Longitude 1514932W
Event Location Airport --
Event Location Nearest Airport ID --
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport --
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID --
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling --
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 5
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 13024
NTSB Notification Source ANC FAA, ROC
NTSB Notification Date Jun 15 2002 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1600
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Apr 29 2003 4:26PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Anchorage FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4131M
NTSB Number ANC02LA049
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA-12
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 12-3031
Certified Max Gross Weight 1750
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 3
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 2 2001 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 22
Airframe Hours 1958.8
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Lawrence L. Brown
Aircraft Owner Street Address 12440 Shelburne Road
Aircraft Owner City Anchorage
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99516
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name --
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City --
Operator State --
Operator Country --
Operator Zip code --
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code ANC
Departure City Anchorage
Departure State AK
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1000
Departure Time Zone ADT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code ENA
Destination City Kenai
Destination State AK
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Landing - roll
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Feb 11 2003 1:05PM
User who most recently changed record PETL
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --