Summary
On September 18, 2016, a Piper PA 18 (N5773D) was involved in an incident near Mcgrath, 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 excessive taxi speed, which resulted in a loss of control and subsequent nose over.
The pilot had landed his tailwheel-equipped airplane on a rough and uneven, soft, off-airport landing site in gusty wind conditions. He reported that he had landed at the same spot the previous day, but at a higher gross weight. While back taxiing the airplane became stuck, he applied near full power and the airplane began to roll. In an effort to avoid becoming stuck again, he chose to taxi at a higher than normal speed and power setting. He stated that the airplane began to accelerate and in an effort to slow down, he applied the main wheel brakes while simultaneously hitting a large tussock. The airplane nosed over sustaining substantial damage to the rudder and vertical stabilizer.
This incident is documented in NTSB report ANC16CA066. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N5773D.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The pilot's excessive taxi speed, which resulted in a loss of control and subsequent nose over.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Current)
Analysis
The pilot had landed his tailwheel-equipped airplane on a rough and uneven, soft, off-airport landing site in gusty wind conditions. He reported that he had landed at the same spot the previous day, but at a higher gross weight. While back taxiing the airplane became stuck, he applied near full power and the airplane began to roll. In an effort to avoid becoming stuck again, he chose to taxi at a higher than normal speed and power setting. He stated that the airplane began to accelerate and in an effort to slow down, he applied the main wheel brakes while simultaneously hitting a large tussock. The airplane nosed over sustaining substantial damage to the rudder and vertical stabilizer. The pilot stated that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
In the recommendation section of the NTSB Accident/Incident Reporting Form 6120.1, the pilot stated that the accident may have been prevented if he had shut down the airplane and walked the landing zone prior to taxi to look for hazards, or if he had a better understanding of how gross weight affects airplane control while on the ground.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# ANC16CA066