Piper PA18 accident near Chisana, Alaska, July 29, 2020
On July 29, 2020 at about 1:00 am local time, a 1957 Piper PA18, registered N1049P, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Chisana, 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 overapplication of brakes during landing in gusting tailwind conditions, 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
- July 29, 2020 · about 1:00 am local time
- Place
- Chisana, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA18 150, built 1957 · all PA18s on the register
- Registration
- N1049P · registry record · serial 18-7816
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, during landing on an uphill, 800-ft-long unimproved airstrip in his tailwheel-equipped airplane, the airplane encountered a strong tailwind gust. The pilot landed the airplane beyond the intended point of landing and applied full brakes to avoid hitting terrain, and the airplane subsequently nosed over. The vertical stabilizer and the wing lift struts sustained substantial damage. The pilot stated that before the accident, the wind on nearby lakes was light from the west, and he anticipated a tailwind landing to the east; however, after the accident the wind was gusting to 25 knots. He added that the airstrip had no safe go-around route due to terrain and slope. The pilot stated that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions 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
- Landing area overshoot during landing
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- factor Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Tailwind › Response/compensation
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Tailwind › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 1,221.3 hours in all; 1,221.3 in this make and model; 51.2 in the last 90 days; 1,120 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 31, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,104 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 1, 2019; 96 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 96 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ORT Northway AK
- Destination: Chisana AK
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 6,500 ft
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
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.