What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.4)The pilot and witnesses described the airplane touching down with a 20 knot tailwind on the last 25% of the approximatley 600 feet long, packed snow, landing area. The pilot said that on short final he recognized the tailwind, but because of terrain there was not maneuvering room to attempt a go around. The airplane bounced, and overran the landing area. The pilot said he lost forward visibility in whiteout conditions, and intentionally ground looped the airplane to stop. (-23) the pilot and three passengers were landing on the kahiltna glacier. The aircraft landed in the final one third of the landing area bounced twice and the pilot ground looped the aircraft to keep from going off the landing zone. There was a 15-20 knot tail wind at the landing sight. The aircraft received substantial damage.
As the FAA filed it
(.4)THE PILOT AND WITNESSES DESCRIBED THE AIRPLANE TOUCHING DOWN WITH A 20 KNOT TAILWIND ON THE LAST 25% OF THE APPROXIMATLEY 600 FEET LONG, PACKED SNOW, LANDING AREA. THE PILOT SAID THAT ON SHORT FINAL HE RECOGNIZED THE TAILWIND, BUT BECAUSE OF TERRAIN THERE WAS NOT MANEUVERING ROOM TO ATTEMPT A GO AROUND. THE AIRPLANE BOUNCED, AND OVERRAN THE LANDING AREA. THE PILOT SAID HE LOST FORWARD VISIBILITY IN WHITEOUT CONDITIONS, AND INTENTIONALLY GROUND LOOPED THE AIRPLANE TO STOP. (-23) THE PILOT AND THREE PASSENGERS WERE LANDING ON THE KAHILTNA GLACIER. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED IN THE FINAL ONE THIRD OF THE LANDING AREA BOUNCED TWICE AND THE PILOT GROUND LOOPED THE AIRCRAFT TO KEEP FROM GOING OFF THE LANDING ZONE. THERE WAS A 15-20 KNOT TAIL WIND AT THE LANDING SIGHT. THE AIRCRAFT RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N1473F · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.