N3797ZPiper PA-18-150

The pilot reported that he attempted to depart from a 200 yard long, remote airstrip, downhill with a tailwind in a tailwheel equipped airplane. The airplane lifted off the ground but impacted alders at the end of the strip. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

According to the pilot in the tailwheel-equipped airplane, he landed on tundra that had an uphill slope.

Prior to touch down, the pilot shut off the engine "in case of a nose over event."

He reported that after the landing roll, when the airplane was completely stopped on level ground, a tailwind gust lifted the tail. The airplane balanced on the nose for about 10 seconds, a second gust pushed the airplane over, and it came to rest inverted.

The airplane sustained substantial damage to the rudder.

The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

The private pilot was taking off in a tundra tire-equipped airplane from a snow-covered off-airport site, on a Title 14, CFR Part 91 personal flight. He reported that during the takeoff roll the main wheels struck a snowdrift, and the airplane nosed over, resulting in substantial damage to the wings and wing lift struts. The pilot said there were no preaccident mechanical problems with the airplane, and noted in his report to the NTSB that he should not have landed at the off-airport site with a wheel-equipped airplane. The pilot reported that after the accident he manually activated the airplane’s 406 MHz Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT), and within 20 minutes of doing so, he received a cell phone call from the airplane’s owner inquiring about the accident.