Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Eagle, Alaska 99738
Sunday, September 7, 2003 12:00 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The solo airline transport pilot was landing on a mountain ridgeline in a tailwheel, tundra tire-equipped airplane. The airplane touched down on the rough and uneven terrain without difficulty, but during the landing roll, the pilot inadvertently applied excessive braking action. The airplane subsequently nosed over and sustained structural damage to the rudder and wing lift struts. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's selection of an unsuitable landing area, and his excessive use of the airplane's brakes during the landing roll, resulting in a nose over. A factor associated with the accident was rough and uneven terrain.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/7/2003
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1200
Event Time Zone --
Event City Eagle
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99738
Event Date Year 2003
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 645500N
Event Location Longitude 1422700W
Event Location Airport --
Event Location Nearest Airport ID --
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
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 5000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 360
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) --
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) 14382
NTSB Notification Source Pilot
NTSB Notification Date Sep 8 2003 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 800
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Nov 25 2003 11:36AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Fairbank FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8597D
NTSB Number ANC03CA110
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-18-180
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 18-6248
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RWR Air, Inc.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O.Box 707
Aircraft Owner City Tok
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99780
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Charles R. Rhodes
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. Box 311
Operator City Tok
Operator State AK
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 99780
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 --
Departure City Eagle
Departure State AK
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1100
Departure Time Zone ADT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City Eagle
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 Oct 15 2003 3:17PM
User who most recently changed record PETL
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --