# Accident 19980630015409A: Piper PA20, Soldotna, AK, June 30, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 30, 1998, 16:15 local time
- Place: Soldotna, AK
- Airport: Soldotna
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Final Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 60.3207° N, 150.7898° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=60.3207&lon=-150.7898&mi=10
- Aircraft: N2163A, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N2163A) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-20 (registry code 7102002, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-20) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA20
- Reported engine: LYC O320C1A
- Fatal injuries: 0
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC98LA087](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC98LA087) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980630015409A

## Narrative

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

(FROM .19) LANDING WIND PECKED UP TO A QUARTERING TAILWIND.  DOWNDRAFT PUSHED PA30 INTO TREES.  WIND WAS CALM ON PRIOR LANDINGS. (FROM .4)  THE CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT WAS PRACTICING TOUCH-AND-GO LANDINGS WITH A FRIEND.  DURING A TELEPHONE CONVERSATION WITH THE NTSB INVESTIGATOR-IN-CHARGE ONE DAY AFTER THE ACCIDENT, THE PILOT STATED THAT HE THOUGHT THE WINDS WERE FAIRLY CALM AS HE APPROACHED RUNWAY 25.  HE SAID THAT WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH THE WIND INCREASED TO AN ESTIMATED 10 TO 15 KNOTS FROM THE WEST, AND A STRONG DOWNDRAFT PUSHED THE AIRPLANE INTO TREES.  IN HIS WRITTEN STATEMENT DATED JULY 27, 1998, THE PILOT REPORTED THAT WHILE PRACTICING TOUCH-AND-GO LANDINGS, HE STALLED THE AIRPLANE PREMATURELY.  THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH AN AREA OF HIGHT VEGETATION, AND CAME TO REST ABOUT 30 FEET FROM THE END OF THE RUNWAY.  THE AIRPLANE'S FUSELAGE, AND WING LIFT STRUTS SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.  THE PILOT INDICATED THERE WERE NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WITH THE AIRPLANE.  THE SOLDOTNA AIRPORT WIND CONDITIONS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WERE REPORTED TO BE 237 DEGREES (MAGNETIC) AT 7 KNOTS.            (-23) MR. MOORE WAS PRACTICING TOUCH AND GO LANDINGS AT SOLDOTNA AIRPORT AT APPROX. 1600 ON JUNE 30, 1998. THE WINDS WERE FAVORING LANDINGS TO THE WEST (RWY 25). WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED, MR. MOORE WAS PLANNING TO LAND ON A SHORT DIRT STRIP AT THE EAST END OF RWY 25. LIGHT TURBULENCE WAS ENCOUNTERED ON FINAL APPROACH WHILE MR. MOORE WAS FLYING A SHALLOW GLIDE PATH. AIRSPEED WAS APPROX. 60 KTS WITH ENGINE AT 1500 RPM. ON SHORT FINAL, THE LANDING GEAR HIT THE TOPS OF ALDER BUSHES NEAR THE END OF THE DIRT STRIP. THIS CAUSED THE AIRPLANE TO NOSE OVER AND LAND IN A NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE WHICH CAUSED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE LANDING GEAR AND FORWARD FUSELAGE OF THE AIRPLANE. MR. MOORE ATTRIBUTED HIS SHALLOW GLIDE PATH AND WIND GUSTS TO BE THE CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT. THESE TWO FACTORS ALONG WITH ATTEMPTING TO LAND NEAR THE END OF RWY SURFACE ATTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT.

## 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 ANC98LA087](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC98LA087), Jul 1, 1998: Piper PA-20 (N2163A), Soldotna, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's inadvertent stall of the airplane.

## Other reports on N2163A (1)

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

- [Accident 19780504011059A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19780504011059A), May 4, 1978: Piper PA20 (N2163A), Soldotna, AK, Substantial damage. Student plt overreacted during lndg roll.

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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