Probable cause
The pilot's decision to make contact with an unsuitable landing surface, resulting in a nose over.
NTSB analysis
The pilot was performing a low pass of a snow-covered off-airport landing site, in a wheel-equipped airplane, to determine the condition of the snow pack. He was dragging the main landing gear on the landing surface, but the snow was deeper than expected, and the airplane nosed over sustaining substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have prevented normal operation.
Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ANC14CA004 for the full record.
Event
- Date
- Oct 10, 2013
- Type
- Accident
- Place
- Talkeetna, Alaska
- Highest injury
- None
- Weather
- Visual (VMC)
- Light
- Day
Piper J3C 65
- N-number
- N70604
- Category
- Airplane
- Year built
- 1946
- Damage
- Substantial
- Operating rule
- Part 91 (general aviation)
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
From the NTSB aviation accident database: N-registered aircraft, events since 2008, data through Oct 28, 2026. The file is published monthly, so the latest weeks are incomplete and recent records can change. The official source is the NTSB aviation investigation search. CheckAero is independent and not affiliated with the NTSB.