Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Kenai, Alaska 99611
Friday, May 16, 2003 18:00 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot said he was landing at his private airstrip, and the wind drifted the airplane to the right of the landing tracks. He said the brush to the side of the tracks had not been cut, and was higher than normal. He said when the airplane encountered the brush during the landing roll, it nosed over. The pilot said the airplane sustained damage to one wing, the lift struts, rudder, landing gear, and fuselage. He said the wind may have been gusting to as high as 20 knots.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to compensate for gusting wind conditions during the landing flare, which resulted in the airplane encountering brush, and nosing over. Factors contributing to the accident were high brush, and gusting winds.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/16/2003
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1800
Event Time Zone --
Event City Kenai
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99611
Event Date Year 2003
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 603500N
Event Location Longitude 1511300W
Event Location Airport --
Event Location Nearest Airport ID --
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
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 None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 7
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 290
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 15
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 20
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) 13873
NTSB Notification Source FAA Anchorage, ROC
NTSB Notification Date May 17 2003 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 740
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Sep 30 2003 9:55AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Anchorage FSDO-03

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N814JM
NTSB Number ANC03LA050
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-18-160
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 18-8608
Certified Max Gross Weight 1760
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 15 2002 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 136
Airframe Hours 6033
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name John Davis
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Kenai
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99611
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 AK51
Departure City Port Alsworth
Departure State AK
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1630
Departure Time Zone ADT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code --
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 Jul 3 2003 6:44PM
User who most recently changed record PETL
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length 660
Runway Width 12
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --