Piper PA 18-150 accident near Seward, Alaska, May 17, 2015
On May 17, 2015 at about 5:00 pm local time, a 1976 Piper PA 18-150, registered N83330, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Seward, Alaska (Seward airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's excessive braking during landing, which resulted in a nose over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 17, 2015 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Seward, Alaska · Seward · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA 18-150 A150, built 1976 · all PA 18-150s on the register
- Registration
- N83330 · registry record · serial 18-7609080
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot was practicing short field takeoff and landings on a grassy area next to a paved runway. On the fourth landing he stated that he hit the brakes too hard, and the airplane nosed over, sustaining substantial damage to the empennage and wing struts. The pilot stated that the were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Loss of control on ground during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Nose over/nose down during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Brake › Incorrect use/operation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 310 hours in all; 80 in this make and model
- Last flight review: June 3, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,359 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 2015; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 SERIES (piston); 73 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SWD Seward AK
- Destination: SWD Seward AK
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,800 ft
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.25 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from PAWD
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N83330 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.