Talkeetna, AK, USA
N83272
Piper PA-18
The solo private pilot was landing a tundra tire-equipped airplane on a 500-foot long, off airport site. During the landing roll, the main landing gear wheels encountered soft terrain, and the airplane nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the rudder, wings, and left wing lift strut. The pilot noted that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane.
On July 12, 2003, about 1045 Alaska daylight time, a tundra tire-equipped Piper PA-18 airplane, N83272, sustained substantial damage when it nosed over during the landing roll at a remote off airport site located about 26 miles south of Talkeetna, Alaska. The airplane was being operated by the pilot as a visual flight rules (VFR) personal flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91 when the accident occurred. The solo private pilot was not injured. The flight departed from a remote airstrip at Shulin Lake, located near Talkeetna, about 1000. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. According to the NTSB Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1) submitted by the pilot, he was en route to Wasilla, Alaska, when he noticed a pair of moose antlers located near a dry river bed, and he elected to land and pick them up. During the landing roll on the 500-foot long site, the main landing gear wheels encountered soft terrain, and the airplane nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the rudder, wings, and left wing lift strut. The pilot noted that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane.
The pilot's selection of an unsuitable landing area, which resulted in an on ground encounter with soft terrain and subsequent nose over of the airplane. A factor associated with the accident was soft terrain.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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