OpenAirDocs.org

20030516012419A

Accident · Substantial damage
Open the Markdown

FAA accident report · Piper PA-18-150 · Aniak, AK · May 16, 2003

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

© OpenStreetMap
Date
May 16, 2003 · 09:00 local
Place
Aniak, AK
Phase of flight
Normal Cruise
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Operator
U7GC
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N9877D
NTSB investigation
NTSBANC03LA049
Reported as
Piper PA18150
Reported engine
Lycoming O320*
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
8,000 total7,000 in this make and model150 in the last 90 days
N9877DRegistered now · Piper PA-18-150S/N 18-6899 · Built 1959Airframe modelPiper PA-18-150Engine modelLycoming 0-320 seriesReciprocating

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 may 16, 2003, about 0900 Alaska daylight time, a tundra tire-equipped Piper PA-18-150 airplane, N9877D, sustained substantial damage during an uncontrolled descent when it collided with terrain, about 50 miles south of Aniak, Alaska. The airplane was being operated by the pilot as a visual flight rules (VFR) flight under title 14, CFR part 91, when the accident occurred. The solo commercial pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. During a telephone conversation with the federal aviation administration (FAA) investigator on June 23, 2003, the pilot said he had just taken off from an unimproved landing strip. After establishing a cruise condition at 50' above ground level (AGL) he unbuckled his seatbelt and shoulder harness to facilitate adjusting his seatback cushion. As he leaned forward the aircraft began to descend and in attempting to regain control of the aircraft his hand became ensnarled in the shoulder harness, preventing him from regaining control prior to collision with level terrain. He said both wings, landing gear, and the fuselage was damaged in the collision.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON MAY 16, 2003, ABOUT 0900 ALASKA DAYLIGHT TIME, A TUNDRA TIRE-EQUIPPED PIPER PA-18-150 AIRPLANE, N9877D, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING AN UNCONTROLLED DESCENT WHEN IT COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN, ABOUT 50 MILES SOUTH OF ANIAK, ALASKA. THE AIRPLANE WAS BEING OPERATED BY THE PILOT AS A VISUAL FLIGHT RULES (VFR) FLIGHT UNDER TITLE 14, CFR PART 91, WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE SOLO COMMERCIAL PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED. DURING A TELEPHONE CONVERSATION WITH THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION (FAA) INVESTIGATOR ON JUNE 23, 2003, THE PILOT SAID HE HAD JUST TAKEN OFF FROM AN UNIMPROVED LANDING STRIP. AFTER ESTABLISHING A CRUISE CONDITION AT 50' ABOVE GROUND LEVEL (AGL) HE UNBUCKLED HIS SEATBELT AND SHOULDER HARNESS TO FACILITATE ADJUSTING HIS SEATBACK CUSHION. AS HE LEANED FORWARD THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO DESCEND AND IN ATTEMPTING TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT HIS HAND BECAME ENSNARLED IN THE SHOULDER HARNESS, PREVENTING HIM FROM REGAINING CONTROL PRIOR TO COLLISION WITH LEVEL TERRAIN. HE SAID BOTH WINGS, LANDING GEAR, AND THE FUSELAGE WAS DAMAGED IN THE COLLISION.

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 ANC03LA049Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportAniak, AKThe pilot's failure to maintain clearance from terrain while maneuvering, which resulted in the airplane colliding with terrain. A factor contributing to the accident was the pilot's diverted attention.May 16, 2003 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N9877D · 1

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

Accident 20140913017389ALanding: Touchdown · Akiak, AKPilot stated that he side-loaded the landing gear upon landing in a strong gusty crosswind. The pilot landed hard on the downwind tire as the wind picked up the upwind wing. The pilot stated that the axle broke and the downwind tire separated at approximately…Sep 13, 2014 · Substantial damage