No fatalities

15 Aug 2012: PIPER PA-18-150 — PAYNE RONALD J II — Talkeetna, AK

Talkeetna, AK, United States

On 15 Aug 2012, a PIPER PA-18-150 operated by PAYNE RONALD J II was involved in an aviation accident near Talkeetna, AK. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's loss of control during the landing roll in gusting wind conditions, which resulted in the airplane nosing over. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

A pilot attempting to pick up a friend whose food was eaten by a bear flipped his plane after a gust of wind hit the tail during landing on a gravel bar.

Incident Overview

A pilot flying to a remote hunting camp to collect a friend, whose food had been consumed by a bear three days earlier, experienced an accident during landing. The pilot touched down on a gravel bar in the middle of a river. During the roll-out, a gust of wind estimated at 40 knots from the quartering left rear caused the airplane to flip onto its back.

Damage and Injuries

The accident resulted in substantial damage to both wings, the rudder, and the front portion of the fuselage. The solo pilot sustained minor injuries. No other individuals were on board.

Sequence of Events

The flight was initiated after the pilot was notified that a bear had eaten all the friend's food. The landing site was a gravel bar within the river. After touchdown, while the aircraft was rolling out, the sudden gust of wind from the left rear quarter destabilized the aircraft, leading to it overturning.

Contributing factors

Causes

Pilot

Other contributing factors

Contributed to outcome