Amateur-built PA 18 SUPER CUB KIT accident near Palmer, Alaska, June 29, 2015
On June 29, 2015 at about 10:30 pm local time, a 2005 amateur-built PA 18 SUPER CUB KIT, registered N808GJ, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Palmer, Alaska. 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 use of brakes during the landing roll resulting 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
- June 29, 2015 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Palmer, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built PA 18 SUPER CUB KIT, built 2005
- Registration
- N808GJ · registry record · serial 204
- 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 at a remote, off airport site in a homebuilt, tailwheel-equipped airplane. He stated that he made two passes over the short strip, and while setting up to land on the third pass, he lost sight of his intended touch down spot and landed longer than he had anticipated. After landing he applied the breaks heavily and the airplane nosed over, coming to rest inverted. The wing struts were substantially damaged. The pilot stated that there 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
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 2,500 hours in all; 720 in this make and model; 35 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 652 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, November 20, 2014
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming 0-320 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AK53 Palmer AK
- Destination: Palmer AK
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,500 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 29.90 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from PAAQ
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.
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.