No fatalities

28 Aug 2012: PIPER PA-18-150 — Richard T Gardner — Delta Junction, AK

Delta Junction, AK, United States

On 28 Aug 2012, a PIPER PA-18-150 operated by Richard T Gardner was involved in an aviation accident near Delta Junction, AK. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot’s failure to identify the appropriate touchdown point, which resulted in a nose 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 landing a tailwheel airplane on a rough, uneven airstrip nosed over after the right main tire dropped into a hidden hole and the tailwheel impacted brush and stumps, causing substantial damage.

Incident

A pilot reported that during a landing on a rough and uneven airstrip covered with brush, the airplane nosed over after encountering a hidden hole and obstacles. The pilot had determined the wind direction and selected a touchdown point before beginning the approach.

Details

Upon landing, the right main tire dropped into a concealed hole, and the tailwheel simultaneously struck brush and small stumps. This caused the airplane to nose over. During the nose-over, the rudder, lift struts, and wings sustained substantial damage. After exiting the airplane, the pilot realized he had misidentified the intended touchdown point and had landed short of the actual airstrip.

Findings

The pilot indicated that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane. The accident resulted from a misjudgment of the touchdown point, leading to an off-airport landing on unsuitable terrain.

Contributing factors

Causes

Pilot

Other contributing factors

Contributed to outcome