Birchwood Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Chugiak, Alaska 99567
Monday, July 5, 2004 10:30 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The solo student pilot reported that he had been practicing touch-and-go landings on a gravel covered, 2,200 feet long runway. He said that after completing four successful touch-and-go landings, he elected to do a full stop landing. During the accident landing the roll, the airplane veered slightly to the left, and the pilot applied the brakes in an attempt to realign the airplane with the runway. The pilot reported that he inadvertently applied too much brake pressure as the airplane neared the end of the landing roll, and the airplane nosed over. He stated that there were no preaccident mechanical problems with the airplane. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings, fuselage, and empennage.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's excessive use of the airplane's brakes during the landing roll, which resulted in the airplane nosing over. A factor contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to maintain directional control.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/5/2004
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1030
Event Time Zone --
Event City Chugiak
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99567
Event Date Year 2004
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 612400N
Event Location Longitude 1493044W
Event Location Airport Birchwood
Event Location Nearest Airport ID BCV
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 96
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1036 Atlantic Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID PABV
Elevation of weather observation facility 96
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation ADT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 2200
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 14
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 10
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 300
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.85
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 17241
NTSB Notification Source Anchorage FAA ROC
NTSB Notification Date Jul 5 2004 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1100
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Feb 24 2005 9:13AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Anchorage FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8918Y
NTSB Number ANC04LA073
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 18-7409036
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 17 2004 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 35
Airframe Hours 1922
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Leonard D. Ferucci
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Anchorage
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99508
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code LHD
Departure City Anchorage
Departure State AK
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 930
Departure Time Zone ADT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code BCV
Destination City Chugiak
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 --
User who most recently changed record --
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 01
Runway Length 2200
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --