No fatalities

30 Jan 2017: CESSNA 180 B — Tyonek, AK

Tyonek, AK, United States

On 30 Jan 2017, a CESSNA 180 B was involved in an aviation accident near Tyonek, AK. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot’s improper decision to land on a snow-covered airstrip with a tundra tire-equipped airplane, 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 flying a tundra tire and tailwheel-equipped airplane attempted a full stop landing on a snow-covered airstrip, but the airplane nosed over and sustained substantial damage to the empennage.

Incident Overview

A pilot of a tundra tire and tailwheel-equipped airplane reported an accident during a landing attempt on a snow-covered airstrip. The pilot was returning to his home airport when he decided to land on the snow-covered strip. He flew over the landing area three times before attempting a full stop landing on the fourth pass.

Landing Attempt

During the touchdown of a three-point landing, the pilot realized the snow was deeper than expected. The airplane decelerated rapidly. The pilot increased power in an effort to maintain forward motion, but the airplane continued to sink into the snow. Subsequently, the airplane nosed over and slid to a stop in an inverted position.

Damage

The accident resulted in substantial damage to the empennage of the airplane.

Pilot Report

The pilot reported that there were no pre-accident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.

Contributing factors

Causes

Capability exceededPilotEffect on operationDecision related to condition

Other contributing factors

Ability to respond/compensate