# Accident 19990831025389A: Piper PA12, Skwenta, AK, August 31, 1999 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: August 31, 1999, 14:30 local time - Place: Skwenta, AK - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Go Round (Aborted VFR) - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Operator: H1GC - Location: 61.9302° N, 151.7306° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=61.9302&lon=-151.7306&mi=10 - Aircraft: N3824M, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N3824M) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Piper PA-12 (registry code 7101202, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-12) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA12 - Reported engine: LYC O320* - People aboard: 2 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 1,600 total, 350 in this make and model, 200 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC99LA131](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC99LA131) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990831025389A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (.19) ON AUGUST 31, 1999, ABOUT 1450 ALASKA DAYLIGHT TIME, A TUNDRA TIRE EQUIPPED PIPER PA-12 AIRPLANE, N3824M, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHILE LANDING AT A REMOTE AREA, ABOUT 53 MILES WEST OF SKWENTNA, ALASKA, AT LATITUDE 62 DEGREES, 03.978 MINUTES NORTH, AND LONGITUDE 153 DEGREES, 03.011 MINUTES WEST. THE AIRPLANE WAS BEING OPERATED AS A VISUAL FLIGHT RULES (VFR) LOCAL AREA POSITIONING FLIGHT UNDER TITLE 14 CFR PART 91 WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE AIRPLANE WAS OPERATED BY THE PILOT, A HUNTING GUIDE DOING BUSINESS AS HIGHT COUTRY ALASKA. THE COMMERCIAL CERTIFICATED PILOT, AND THE SOLE PASSENGER, AN ASSISTANT GUIDE WITH THE COMPANY, WERE NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED. VFR COMPANY FLIGHT FOLLOWING PROCEDURES WERE IN EFFECT. THE ACCIDENT WAS REPORTED BY ANOTHER AIRPLANE PILOT FLYING OVER THE AREA. ON SEPTEMBER 4, 1999, DURING A TELPHONE CONVERSATION WITH A NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD (NTSB) INVESTIGATOR, THE PILOT REPORTED HE WAS PLANNING TO LAND ON A RIDGE WITH HIS ASSISTANT GUIDE TO ESTABLISH A CAMP FOR HIS HUNTING CLIENTS. THE LANDING AREA IS ORIENTED NORTH/SORTH AT 3,500 FEET MSL IN THE PTARMIGAN PASS AREA OF THE ALASKA MOUNTAIN RA GGE. THE PILOT HAD LANDED ON THE RIDGE NUMEROUS TIMES IN THE PAST. THE PILOT SAID HE MADE SEVERAL LOW PASSES OVER THE AREA TO ASSESS THE LANDING AREA AND WIND CONDITIONS. DURING THE LOW PASSES OVER THE RIDGE, HE NOTED A QUARTERING HEAD WIND OF 6 MILES PER HOUR WITH NO WIND GUSTS. HE SAID HE LANDED ON THE RIDGE, BUT JUST AFTER TOUCHDOWN, ENCOUNTERED A WIND GUST THAT PUSHED THE AIRPLANE TO THE LEFT. HE ADDED ENGINE POWER TO ABORT THE LANDING. THE TAILWHEEL CAME OFF THE GROUND, AND HE TURNED THE AIRPLANE DOWNHILL TO GAIN AIRSPEED. THE RIGHT WING STRUCK THE GROUND ON THE DOWNHILL SIDE OF THE RIDGE. THE AIRPLANE RECEIVED DAMAGE TO THE LANDING GEAR, AND THE RIGHT WING SPAR. (-23) A TUNDRA TIRE EQUIPPED PA12 SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHILE LANDING AT A REMOTE SITE. THE AIRCRAFT WAS OPERATED BY A HUNTER GUIDE SETTING UP A BASE CAMP. HE STATED HE MADE SEVERAL LOW PASSES OVER THE AREA TO ASSESS THE LANDING AREA AND WIND CONDITIONS. JUST AFTER TOUCHDOWN A WIND GUST WAS ENCOUNTERED THAT PUSHED THE AIRCRAFT TO THE LEFT. POWER WAS ADDED TO ABORT THE LANDING AND THE AIRCRAFT TURNED DOWNHILL TO GAIN AIRSPEED. THE RIGHT WIN G STRUCK THE GROUND DAMAGING THE SPAR AND COLLAPSING THE GEAR. (.4) THE COMMERCIAL CERTIFICATED PILOT/HUNTING GUIDE WAS LANDING AT A REMOTE AIRSTRIP LOCATED ON A MOUNTAIN RIDGE WITH AN ASSISTANT GUIDE. THE PURPOSE OF THE FLIGHT WAS TO ESTABLISH A CAMP FOR HIS HUNTING CLIENTS. THE LANDING STRIP IS ORIENTED NORTH/SOUTH AT 3,500 FEET MSL, AND IS 850 FEET LONG, AND 30 FEET WIDE. THE PILOT HAD LANDED ON THE RIDGE NUMEROUS TIMES IN THE PAST. THE PILOT SAID HE MADE SEVERAL LOW PASSES OVER THE AREA TO ASSESS THE LANDING AREA AND WIND CONDITIONS. DURING THE LOW PASSES OVER THE RIDGE, HE NOTED A QUARTERING HEAD WIND FROM THE RIGHT, OF 10 MILES PER HOUR. HE SAID HE LANDED ON THE RIDGE, BUT JUST AFTER TOUCHDOWN, ENCOUNTERED A WIND GUST THAT PUSHED THE AIRPLANE TO THE LEFT. HE ADDED ENGINE POWER TO ABORT THE LANDING. THE TAILWHEEL CAME OFF THE GROUND, AND HE TURNED THE AIRPLANE DOWNHILL TO THE LEFT TO GAIN AIRSPEED. THE RIGHT WING, AND THE MAIN TIRES STRUCK THE GROUND ON THE DOWNHILL SIDE OF THE RIDGE. THE AIRPLANE RECEIVED DAMAGE TO THE LANDING GEAR, AND THE RIGHT WING SPAR. ## 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 ANC99LA131](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC99LA131), Aug 31, 1999: Piper PA-12 (N3824M), Skwentna, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions. Factors in the accident were a crosswind, and wind gusts. ## Other reports on N3824M (3) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Accident 20200606007879A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200606007879A), Jun 6, 2020: Piper PA-12 (N3824M), Wolf Lake, AK, Substantial damage. Pilot in command (PIC) attempted takeoff to the northwest on Wolf Lake water with four souls onboard (PIC and three passengers). The aircraft is type… - [Incident 19980903036649I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980903036649I), Sep 3, 1998: Piper PA12 (N3824M), Wasilla, AK, Minor damage. (-5) The pilot landed on runway 21 at the Wasilla Airport, Wasilla, Alaska with a 5-10 knot quartering tail wind from the left. As the pilot turned to the… - [Accident 19750827025699A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19750827025699A), Aug 27, 1975: Piper PA12 (N3824M), Kenai, AK, Substantial damage. Attmtd tkof fm tundra. Gusting 70 20K.recovery date 8/28/75. 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.