Piper PA-18 accident near Anchorage, Alaska, August 13, 2012
On August 13, 2012 at about 1:30 am local time, a Piper PA-18, registered N37WP, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Anchorage, Alaska (Sixmile Lake airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The passenger's inadvertent application of the brake pedals during landing, which resulted in a noseover.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 13, 2012 · about 1:30 am local time
- Place
- Anchorage, Alaska · Sixmile Lake · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18 · all PA-18s on the register
- Registration
- N37WP · registry record · serial 18-756
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was landing on a gravel airstrip, and the airplane bounced during touchdown. When it touched down again, the pilot began to apply the brakes, and, as expected, the tail of the airplane began to rise slightly. The rear seat passenger did not realize that this condition was normal and braced his feet against the rudder pedals, which applied increased brake pressure. The airplane nosed over resulting in substantial damage to the rudder, vertical stabilizer, and wing lift struts.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Miscellaneous/other during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Brake › Unintentional use/operation
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Passenger
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,000 hours in all; 220 in this make and model; 80 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 1,750 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 31, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,419 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 30, 2012
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PASP Sheep Mountain AK at 7:30 pm
- Destination: AA06 Anchorage AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 09, 1,000 ft by 20 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 8:00 pm from PAED, 2 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
1 document, released by the NTSB on August 23, 2012. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N37WP the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.