13 Jun 2015: PIPER PA 18-150 A150 — Phillip Sturm — McCarthy, AK
On 13 Jun 2015, a PIPER PA 18-150 A150 operated by Phillip Sturm was involved in an aviation accident near McCarthy, AK. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's excessive use of wheel brakes during landing, resulting in a nose over. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
Probable cause
The pilot's excessive use of wheel brakes during landing, resulting in a nose over.
— NTSB Determination
Accident narrative
The pilot was landing his tundra-tire equipped tailwheel airplane on a remote, sandy landing area. During the landing roll, he stated that he used too much braking in the soft sand, and the airplane nosed over, sustaining substantial damage to the empennage. The pilot stated that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.