Piper PA-18-150 N4387Z

Summary

On 14 May 2024 at about 23:10 local time, a Piper PA-18-150 registered N4387Z, operated by State of Alaska, was involved in an accident near Dry Creek, Alaska, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

14 May 2024 at 23:10

Classification

Accident

Location

Dry Creek, Alaska, United States

Coordinates

63.4703, -144.8527

Aircraft

Piper PA-18-150

Registration

N4387Z

Category

Airplane

Year built

1968

Engines

1

Operator

State of Alaska

Operating rule

Public Use

Purpose of flight

Other Work Use

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Delta Junction

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC24LA033

Nobody was injured.

The pilot receiving instruction’s excessive use of brakes during landing, and the pilot providing instruction’s inadequate supervision, resulting in a nose-over.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The operator reported that the purpose of the flight was to provide initial off-airport training to a pilot in a tailwheel-equipped airplane. The pilot receiving instruction was seated in the front seat, and the pilot providing instruction was seated in the back seat. After completing a series of stop-and-go landings at various off-airport sites, the pair landed at a 600 ft gravel-covered site. After a brief stay at the site, the pair elected to continue practicing stop-and-go landings. During the second landing at the site, as the pilot receiving instruction was manipulating the controls, the airplane bounced slightly at touchdown, then it touched down again in a three-point landing. As the landing rollout continued, about half-way down the site, the airplane decelerated quickly, and the tail began to rise. In an attempt to lower the tail of the airplane, the pilot providing instruction applied full aft elevator, and tried to instruct the pilot receiving instruction to correct the excessive braking action. The airplane subsequently nosed over, sustaining substantial damage to the rudder, and wing struts. The operator stated that there were no pre-accident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.