No fatalities

10 Apr 2020: Piper PA18 150 — Homer, AK

Homer, AK, United States

On 10 Apr 2020, a Piper PA18 150 was involved in an aviation accident near Homer, AK. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's overapplication of the brakes during landing and the subsequent loss of directional control and 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 wheel/ski-equipped airplane nosed over after veering right during landing rollout on a dry paved runway. The pilot applied left rudder and brake, but skis dug into grooved pavement, causing the tail to lift and the aircraft to flip.

Incident Overview

During the landing rollout on a dry, paved runway, a wheel/ski-equipped airplane began to veer to the right. The pilot attempted to correct the deviation by applying left rudder and left brake. Subsequently, the tail of the aircraft lifted, and the tips of the skis dug into the grooved pavement surface, causing the airplane to nose over.

Damage Assessment

The accident resulted in substantial damage to the empennage and the right-wing lift strut of the aircraft.

Pilot Comments

In post-accident remarks, the pilot stated that he should have been "more aggressive" with rudder and braking inputs sooner. He described the weather as "nice" and noted that a long runway was available, but he became "fooled into complacency." The pilot also reported that wearing his flight helmet during the accident sequence was essential to the prevention of injury.

Additional Context

No other details regarding the aircraft type, registration, date, time, operator, location, or number of occupants were provided in the source. The runway was paved and dry, with grooved pavement texture. The aircraft was equipped with wheel/ski landing gear.

Contributing factors

PilotDirectional control — Not attained/maintainedSurface speed/braking — Not attained/maintainedIncorrect use/operation