What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-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 Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) personal flight under title 14 CFR part 91 when the accident occurred. The certificated commercial pilot was the sole occupant and reported no injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated about 1215 from a remote fishing site located approximately 15 miles southwest of Anchorage, Alaska. Upon landing runway 33 the pilot lost control and the aircraft "ground looped" causing substantial damage to the left wing and left main wheel assembly. The Merrill field weather was reported as wind, 320 degrees at 4 knots; visibility 10 statute miles; clouds, few at 1500', overcast at 6000.
As the FAA filed it
(-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 ALASKA. THE AIRPLANE WAS BEING OPERATED AS A VISUAL FLIGHT RULES (VFR) PERSONAL FLIGHT UNDER TITLE 14 CFR PART 91 WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE CERTIFICATED COMMERCIAL PILOT WAS THE SOLE OCCUPANT AND REPORTED NO INJURIES. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED ABOUT 1215 FROM A REMOTE FISHING SITE LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 15 MILES SOUTHWEST OF ANCHORAGE, ALASKA. UPON LANDING RUNWAY 33 THE PILOT LOST CONTROL AND THE AIRCRAFT "GROUND LOOPED" CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE LEFT WING AND LEFT MAIN WHEEL ASSEMBLY. THE MERRILL FIELD WEATHER WAS REPORTED AS WIND, 320 DEGREES AT 4 KNOTS; VISIBILITY 10 STATUTE MILES; CLOUDS, FEW AT 1500', OVERCAST AT 6000.
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 N5280H · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.