Casualties unknown

Airplane Noses Over During Landing on Gravel Bar (N9067D)

Skwentna, AK, US

On August 17, 1995, a Piper PA-18A (registration N9067D) operated by James L. Baum was involved in an aviation accident near Skwentna, AK. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: THE PILOT'S IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION. A FACTOR RELATING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE PILOT'S SELECTION OF A SHORT/UNEVEN LANDING AREA THAT REQUIRED EXCESSIVE BRAKING ACTION WHILE LANDING WITH A TAILWIND. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive; 1 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archivePrimary reportUpdated 2026-06-10Data APIEditorial standards

A pilot landing on a river gravel bar applied brakes after touchdown. The airplane began to nose over, but after releasing brakes, the pilot reapplied braking over a dip, causing the airplane to nose over and sustain wing rib damage.

Landing and Incident

A pilot was performing a landing on a river gravel bar near a remote lodge. The landing area was oriented on a 090-degree heading and measured approximately 375 feet in length at an elevation of 2,300 feet mean sea level. A slight tailwind of about 4 knots was present from the west.

After touchdown, the pilot applied the brakes, and the airplane began to nose down. The pilot released the brakes but was approaching the end of the landing area. As the airplane encountered a dip in the gravel surface, the pilot applied braking action once again. The airplane then nosed over and sustained damage to the wing ribs.

Investigation report by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive. Original record: https://carol.ntsb.gov/event/20001207X04139. This page is a structured re-presentation; facts and quotes are in the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), United States.