20020707016869A

Accident · No damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA18150 · Dillingham, AK · July 7, 2002

Date: July 7, 2002 · 17:00 local
Place: Dillingham, AK
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: No damage
Aircraft: N91855
NTSB investigation: NTSBANC02LA071
Reported as: Piper PA18150

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) On 7 July 2002, at approximately 17:00 hrs. Jeff charles puenta, private pilot #568353736, crashed super cub, PA-18-150, N91855, during step taxi after landing on king salmon river. He stated that somehow the left float dug in, or caught on something under the water, the aircraft pivoted left and ended up on the left bank of the river with the left float on the bank. The longerons on the left side of the fuselage were bent on impact. The left lift strut was bent and the left wing was sagging towards the ground. The propeller cut a hole in the top of the right float. The engine quit running without being shut down. The outboard 6 foot section of the right wing was damaged; the spar was bent upwards. The pilot stated that the damage to the right wing was possibly caused when the right wing struck the water. The weather was: wind - calm, ceiling 3,000, visibility unlimited.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON 7 JULY 2002, AT APPROXIMATELY 17:00 HRS. JEFF CHARLES PUENTA, PRIVATE PILOT #568353736, CRASHED SUPER CUB, PA-18-150, N91855, DURING STEP TAXI AFTER LANDING ON KING SALMON RIVER. HE STATED THAT SOMEHOW THE LEFT FLOAT DUG IN, OR CAUGHT ON SOMETHING UNDER THE WATER, THE AIRCRAFT PIVOTED LEFT AND ENDED UP ON THE LEFT BANK OF THE RIVER WITH THE LEFT FLOAT ON THE BANK. THE LONGERONS ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE FUSELAGE WERE BENT ON IMPACT. THE LEFT LIFT STRUT WAS BENT AND THE LEFT WING WAS SAGGING TOWARDS THE GROUND. THE PROPELLER CUT A HOLE IN THE TOP OF THE RIGHT FLOAT. THE ENGINE QUIT RUNNING WITHOUT BEING SHUT DOWN. THE OUTBOARD 6 FOOT SECTION OF THE RIGHT WING WAS DAMAGED; THE SPAR WAS BENT UPWARDS. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT WING WAS POSSIBLY CAUSED WHEN THE RIGHT WING STRUCK THE WATER. THE WEATHER WAS: WIND - CALM, CEILING 3,000, VISIBILITY UNLIMITED.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB ANC02LA071Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportDillingham, AKThe pilot's selection of an unsuitable area for taxiing, which resulted in running the airplane's float aground. Factors contributing to the accident were the hidden obstructions underwater, and the excessive taxi speed.Jul 8, 2002 · Substantial damage