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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

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NTSB Report

September 2, 2002 · Piper PA-18 · N6981B

Anchorage, AK

Overview

Report Status
Final with probable cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
September 2, 2002
Injury Outcomes
No injuries (2 uninjured)
Location
Anchorage, AK
Aircraft
Piper PA-18
Tail Number
N6981B
Injuries
None
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
NTSB Number
ANC02LA112

The private certificated pilot was landing at a remote airstrip. The landing strip, oriented southeast/northwest, is about 600 feet long, by 15 feet wide, and is positioned on a ridge of a mountain. The pilot said he was landing toward the southeast, and touched down on the strip about 1/3 of its total distance beyond the landing threshold. He applied the airplane's brakes, but the tires began to slide on wet grass. The airplane departed off the end of the landing strip. The left main landing gear tire struck a hole about 300 feet past the end of the landing strip, and the left main landing gear was sheared off. The airplane received damage to the propeller, the left wing lift strut, and the left wing. The pilot reported that after the accident, he utilized a hand-held wind meter and discovered he had landed with about a 5 knot tailwind. The Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident/Incident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1) submitted by the pilot, contained an optional area for recommendations as to how the accident could have been prevented. The pilot indicated that his recommendation was, "Perform go-around instead of landing long."

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot's failure to attain the proper touchdown point on a remote airstrip, and his failure to perform a go-around that resulted in the airplane overrunning the end of the strip. Factors in the accident were the pilot's inadequate evaluation of a tailwind condition, and a wet landing surface.

Full Narrative

On September 1, 2002, about 1900 Alaska daylight time, a tundra tire-equipped Piper PA-18 airplane, N6981B, sustained substantial damage when the airplane collided with a ditch during an overrun while landing at a remote airstrip, about 32 miles west of Anchorage, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a Title 14, CFR Part 91 visual flight rules (VFR) cross-country personal flight when the accident occurred. The airplane was operated by the pilot. The private certificated pilot, and the sole passenger, were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight originated at the Lake Hood Strip, Anchorage, about 1830. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), on September 4, the pilot reported that he was landing near the top of Little Mount Susitna. The landing strip, oriented southeast/northwest, is about 600 feet long, by 15 feet wide, and is positioned on a ridge of the mountain. The pilot said he was landing toward the southeast, but touched down on the strip about 1/3 of its total distance beyond the landing threshold. He applied the airplane brakes, but the airplane tires began to slide on wet grass. The airplane departed off the end of the landing strip into an area of low bushes on a down sloping portion of the landing area. The left main landing gear tire struck a hole about 300 feet past the end of the landing strip. The airplane's left main landing gear was sheared off. The pilot reported that after the accident, he utilized a hand-held wind meter, and discovered about a five knot tailwind. The airplane received damage to the propeller and the left wing lift strut. Additionally, the outboard end of the left wing was bent upward about 20 degrees. The Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident/Incident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1) submitted by the pilot, contained an optional area for recommendations as to how the accident could have been prevented. The pilot indicated that his recommendation was, "Perform go-around instead of landing long."

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time19:00 AKDT
Nearest AirportLittle Mt. Susitna (0nm)
Runway13
Runway Length600 ft
Runway Width15 ft
Flight Plan FiledNone
Flight Plan ActivatedNo
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftPiper PA-18
Tail NumberN6981B
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageSubstantial
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsLycoming · O-320 · Reciprocating · 150
Seats2

People & Injuries

Injury SummaryNo injuries (2 uninjured)
Fatal0
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured2
Total2
Crew 1Age 46 · Third Class · None

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
Wind360° @ 5 kt, gusting 10 kt
Visibility50 sm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point55 / 0 C
Altimeter0
Weather SourcePILO

Appendix: Source Data