• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
General Aviation News

General Aviation News

Because flying is cool

  • Pictures of the Day
    • Submit Picture of the Day
  • Stories
    • News
    • Features
    • Opinion
    • Products
    • NTSB Accidents
    • ASRS Reports
  • Comments
  • Classifieds
    • Place Classified Ad
  • Events
  • Digital Archives
  • Subscribe
  • Show Search
Hide Search

Pilot comes up short of runway

By NTSB · August 20, 2014 ·

Aircraft: Piper Super Cub. Injuries: None. Location: Delta Junction, Alaska. Aircraft damage: Substantial.

What reportedly happened: The pilot was attempting to land the tailwheel-equipped airplane on a rough and uneven, brush-covered airstrip.

Before beginning the approach, he determined the wind direction and selected a touchdown point.

After landing, the right main tire dropped into a hole and the tailwheel hit brush and small stumps. The airplane went over on its back.

Upon exiting the airplane, the pilot realized he had identified the wrong touchdown point and actually had landed short of the airstrip.

Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to identify the appropriate touchdown point, which resulted in a nose over.

NTSB Identification: ANC12CA094

This August 2012 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.

About NTSB

The National Transportation Safety Board is an independent federal agency charged by Congress with investigating every civil aviation accident in the United States and significant events in the other modes of transportation, including railroad, transit, highway, marine, pipeline, and commercial space. It determines the probable causes of accidents and issues safety recommendations aimed at preventing future occurrences.

Share this story

  • Share on Twitter Share on Twitter
  • Share on Facebook Share on Facebook
  • Share on LinkedIn Share on LinkedIn
  • Share on Reddit Share on Reddit
  • Share via Email Share via Email

Become better informed pilot.

Join 110,000 readers each month and get the latest news and entertainment from the world of general aviation direct to your inbox, daily.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Curious to know what fellow pilots think on random stories on the General Aviation News website? Click on our Recent Comments page to find out. Read our Comment Policy here.

© 2025 Flyer Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy.

  • About
  • Advertise
  • Comment Policy
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Writer’s Guidelines
  • Photographer’s Guidelines