Skip to content

GAA17CA544

2017-09-13 · Petersville, Alaska, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Current FAA registration · N4741M

Make / Model
PIPER PA-11
Year of manufacture
1947 · 70 years old at event
Engine
CONT MOTOR A&C65 SERIES (65 hp)
Seats / Engines
2 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19561227
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A5D27D

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The pilot’s overapplication of brakes, which resulted in a nose-over.

Factual narrative

The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, while performing a wheel landing on an unimproved gravel airstrip, a gust of wind lifted the "weight off of [the] tires and initiated a skid." He added that, as the airplane settled back on the airstrip the tail rose rapidly due to the brakes being applied, and the airplane nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing lift strut and empennage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, while performing a wheel landing on an unimproved gravel airstrip, a wind gust lifted the "weight off of [the] tires and initiated a skid." He added that, as the airplane settled back on the airstrip, the tail rose rapidly due to the brakes being applied, and the airplane nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing lift strut and empennage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • C Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Surface speed/braking-Capability exceeded - C
  • C Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Use of equip/system-Pilot - C
  • C Aircraft-Aircraft systems-Landing gear system-Brake-Incorrect use/operation - C
  • — Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Wind-Gusts-Effect on operation

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2017_GAA17CA544.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

Search this event elsewhere

External sources are reported, not agency: signal that something happened, not fact about what happened.