Summary
On October 10, 2013, a Piper J3C 65 (N70604) was involved in an incident near Talkeetna, AK. All 1 person aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: The pilot's decision to make contact with an unsuitable landing surface, resulting in a nose over.
The pilot was performing a low pass of a snow-covered off-airport landing site, in a wheel-equipped airplane, to determine the condition of the snow pack. He was dragging the main landing gear on the landing surface, but the snow was deeper than expected, and the airplane nosed over sustaining substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have prevented normal operation.
This incident is documented in NTSB report ANC14CA004. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N70604.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The pilot's decision to make contact with an unsuitable landing surface, resulting in a nose over.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Current)
Analysis
The pilot was performing a low pass of a snow-covered off-airport landing site, in a wheel-equipped airplane, to determine the condition of the snow pack. He was dragging the main landing gear on the landing surface, but the snow was deeper than expected, and the airplane nosed over sustaining substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have prevented normal operation.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# ANC14CA004