No fatalities

Tailwheel Airplane Nosed Over During Landing on Gravel Bar

Talkeetna, AK, United States

On April 24, 2016, a PIPER PA18S 105SPECIAL was involved in an aviation accident near Talkeetna, AK. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain pitch control during the landing roll, which resulted in a nose over. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 3 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 2026-08-03Data APIEditorial standards

A pilot reported that a tailwind gust lifted the tail of a tailwheel-equipped airplane during a landing roll on an off-airport gravel bar, causing the aircraft to nose over. The right wing lift strut and windscreen were substantially damaged.

Incident Overview A pilot operating a tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that he elected to land on an off-airport gravel bar. During the landing roll, the pilot stated that a tailwind gust lifted the airplane's tail, resulting in the aircraft nosing over. ## Damage and Mechanical Condition The accident caused substantial damage to the right wing lift strut and the windscreen. The pilot did not report any mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Contributing Factors The pilot's account identified a tailwind gust as the immediate factor that lifted the tail during the landing roll. No other mechanical issues were cited by the pilot.

Contributing factors

Causes

PilotPitch control — Not attained/maintained

Other contributing factors

Response/compensation