On October 19, 1983, a Piper PA-12 (registration N4433M) operated by Daniel I. O'hoyt was involved in an aviation accident near Anchorage, AK. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A pilot performing a refamiliarization flight after removing floats from an aircraft experienced a nose-over during a full-stop landing on a gravel runway. The pilot reported the main wheels felt like they were digging into the gravel after a 300-foot roll.
Flight Details
A pilot reported that the floats had recently been removed from the aircraft. The flight was conducted to refamiliarize himself with flying the aircraft on wheels. After completing about 10 touch-and-go landings, the pilot elected to perform a full-stop landing.
Landing and Accident
During the full-stop landing, the aircraft touched down and rolled approximately 300 feet with the tail on the ground. At that point, the pilot reported that the main wheels felt as though they were digging into the gravel runway surface. The pilot applied power in an attempt to correct the situation, but the aircraft continued to nose over. In the accident report, the pilot did not specify the extent of braking action used. The aircraft was equipped with oversized tires.
Runway Conditions
Another pilot who landed after the mishap reported that the gravel on the runway affected his aircraft, causing it to veer slightly from side to side. This observation indicates that the runway surface may have contributed to the dynamic conditions during landing.