Piper PA-18-150, N8929L: Accident occurred May 28, 2014 in Cordova, Alaska

Aviation Accident Final Report - National Transportation Safety Board: https://app.ntsb.gov/pdf

NTSB Identification: ANC14CA031
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Wednesday, May 28, 2014 in Cordova, AK
Probable Cause Approval Date: 09/07/2017
Aircraft: PIPER PA 18-150, registration: N8929L
Injuries: 2 Uninjured.

NTSB investigators used data provided by various entities, including, but not limited to, the Federal Aviation Administration and/or the operator and did not travel in support of this investigation to prepare this aircraft accident report.

The pilot said that he made low passes over the flat, tundra site to assess its suitability for landing. He said that, on the second pass, he touched the airplane's wheels down to verify that the surface was firm and then returned for landing. He said that, both visually and during the test-touch, the surface appeared to be "100 percent hard-surface tundra," and the vegetation appeared dry; however, during the end of the landing roll, when the airplane was traveling about 10 mph, the wheels sank into unexpectedly "mushy" ground, and the airplane slowly nosed over. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation. The rudder, strut, and wing rib sustained damage. The airplane was equipped with tundra tires. Photographs of the airplane at the accident site showed it inverted in a broad area of flat, grassy tundra, consistent with the pilot's description.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
The pilot's inadequate remedial action during landing on soft terrain, which resulted in a nose-over.

Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Juneau, Alaska

Aviation Accident Factual Report - National Transportation Safety Board: https://app.ntsb.gov/pdf

Investigation Docket - National Transportation Safety Board: https://dms.ntsb.gov/pubdms

http://registry.faa.gov/N8929L

NTSB Identification: ANC14CA031
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Wednesday, May 28, 2014 in Cordova, AK
Aircraft: PIPER PA 18-150, registration: N8929L
Injuries: 2 Uninjured.

NTSB investigators used data provided by various entities, including, but not limited to, the Federal Aviation Administration and/or the operator and did not travel in support of this investigation to prepare this aircraft accident report.

The pilot said that he made low passes over the flat, tundra site to assess its suitability for landing. He said that, on the second pass, he touched the airplane's wheels down to verify that the surface was firm and then returned for landing. He said that both visually and during the test-touch, the surface appeared to be "100 percent hard-surface tundra," and the vegetation appeared dry; however, during the end of the landing roll, when the airplane was traveling about 10 mph, the wheels sank into unexpectedly "mushy" ground, and the airplane slowly nosed over. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunction that would have precluded normal operation. Damage to the airplane included rudder, strut, and wing rib damage. The airplane was equipped with tundra tires. Photographs of the airplane at the accident site showed it inverted in a broad area of flat, grassy tundra, consistent with the pilot's description.