Probable cause
The pilot's excessive braking during the landing roll.
NTSB analysis
The pilot was making a landing on a dirt landing area that also doubled as the main road in the center of the remote mountain town. He intentionally landed a little long in order to miss the substantial puddle of water near the approach end of the landing area. He began applying brakes while the airplane was going about 20 miles per hour, but his brake application was of sufficient force to result in the airplane nosing over onto its back. The sequence of events resulted in substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer and one wing lift strut. The pilot said that there was nothing wrong with the braking system, and that he should have either delayed his braking or applied the brakes with "more finesse."
Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for WPR09CA295 for the full record.
Event
- Date
- Jun 18, 2009
- Type
- Accident
- Place
- Dixie, Idaho
- Nearest airport
- Dixie Town (00)
- Highest injury
- None
- Weather
- Visual (VMC)
- Light
- Day
Piper PA-18-150
- N-number
- N4155U
- Category
- Airplane
- Damage
- Substantial
- Operating rule
- Part 91 (general aviation)
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
Other records under this N-number
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.