# Accident 19980609012849A: Piper PA16, Anchorage, AK, June 9, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 9, 1998, 12:33 local time
- Place: Anchorage, AK
- Airport: Merrill Field Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Roll-Out (Fixed Wing)
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 61.1791° N, 149.8805° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=61.1791&lon=-149.8805&mi=10
- Aircraft: N5280H, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N5280H-2018-12-01) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-16 (registry code 7101602, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-16) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-290 series (registry code 41506, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-290-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA16
- Reported engine: LYC O235C1
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 3,000 total, 25,000 in this make and model, 20 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC98LA068](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC98LA068) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980609012849A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

GROUND LOOPED OFF RUNWAY LANDING. DAMAGED LEFT WING. COLLAPSED LEFT MAIN GEAR.(-23) ON JUNE 9, 1998, ABOUT 1233 ALASKA DAYLIGHT TIME, A WHEEL EQUIPPED PIPER PA-16 AIRPLANE, N5280H, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING LANDING AT MERRILL FIELD, ANCHORAGE, ALASKA. THE CERTIFICATED COMMERCIAL PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS WERE NOT INJURED. THE PILOT STATED "IT WAS A SIMPLE GROUND LOOP. I JUST LOST IT." WITNESSE'S REPORTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT LANDED ON RUNWAY 24, ROLLED OUT FOR ABOUT 300 FEET AND GROUND LOOPED TO THE LEFT. THE AIRPLANE'S LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED, THE LEFT WING STRUCK THE GROUND, AND THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST OFF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINED DAMAGE TO THE LEFT WING AND FUSELAGE. THE MERRILL FIELD WEATHER AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WAS: WIND, 240 DEGREES (MAGNETIC) AT 10 KNOTS; VISIBILITY, 10 STATUE MILES; CLOUDS, 7500 BROKEN; TEMPERATURE, 55 DEGREES F; ALTIMETER, 29.75 IN HG. (FROM .4) THE CERTIFICATED COMMERCIAL PILOT WAS LANDING ON RUNWAY 24 IN A TAILWHEEL EQUIPPED AIRPLANE ON A PAVED RUNWAY.  THE PILOT STATED THAT JUST AFTER TOUCHDOWN, A SUDDEN WIND SHIFT CAUSED HIM TO LOSE DIRECTIONAL CONTROL, AND THE AIRPLANE GROUND LOOPED TO THE RIGHT.    DURING THE GROUND LOOP THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED, AND THE LEFT WING STRUCK THE GROUND. THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST OFF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY, AND SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE LEFT WING AND FUSELAGE.  MERRILL FIELD WIND CONDITIONS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WERE REPORTED TO BE FROM 216 DEGREES (MAGNETIC) AT 8 KNOTS.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB ANC98LA068](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC98LA068), Jun 9, 1998: Piper PA-16 (N5280H), Anchorage, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's inadvertent ground loop.

## Other reports on N5280H (2)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Accident 20060819017899A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20060819017899A), Aug 19, 2006: Piper PA16 (N5280H), Chugiak, AK, Substantial damage. (-23) A float equipped Piper PA-16 departed mirror lake airport one mile north of eagle river Alaska with the pilot [privacy data omitted], wife and family…
- [Accident 20010720039839A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010720039839A), Jul 20, 2001: Piper PA16 (N5280H), Anchorage, AK, Substantial damage. (-23) On June 20, 2001 at 1315 adt, a wheel equipped Piper PA-16 airplane, N5280H, sustained substantial damage during landing at Merrill field, Anchorage…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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