AIRCRAFT 1 PRELIMINARY REPORT

On April 22, 2000, about 1730 Alaska daylight time, a tailwheel equipped Piper PA-18 airplane, N1200A, sustained substantial damage while taxiing after landing at the McCarthy Number 2 Airport (North latitude 61 degrees, 26 minutes; West longitude 142 degrees, 54 minutes), McCarthy, Alaska. The commercial pilot and the sole passenger were not injured. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight originated at Merrill Field, Anchorage, Alaska, about 1330, and the destination was McCarthy. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a company flight plan was filed. The airplane was owned and operated by Wrangell Mountain Air, Inc., Glennallen, Alaska. The owner of the company reported the accident to the NTSB on April 25, 2000. He related his wife was the pilot, and that she and their daughter were returning from Anchorage. After landing at McCarthy, he said his wife was looking for a place to park the airplane, and had initiated a sharp turn toward the ramp, when a gust of wind turned the airplane inverted. The owner said the wind at the time of the accident was from the south at 20 knots, gusting to 30 knots. An unsigned NTSB Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report received by the NTSB investigator-in-charge on May 12, contained essentially the same information as given by the company owner.

AIRCRAFT 1 FINAL REPORT

The pilot reported she landed her tailwheel airplane in gusty wind conditions. After landing, while turning the airplane in search of a parking site, she said a gust of wind picked the tail of the airplane off the ground, and the airplane nosed over.

AIRCRAFT 1 CAUSE REPORT

The pilot's inadequate compensation for the gusty wind conditions. A factor associated with the accident was the wind gusts.

END REPORT