20050216001739A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA-18A 150 · Talkeetna, AK · February 16, 2005

Date: February 16, 2005 · 17:00 local
Place: Talkeetna, AK
Phase of flight: Level Off Touchdown
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N9071D
NTSB investigation: NTSBANC05LA036
Reported as: Piper PA18A150
Reported engine: Lycoming O320*
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 2,150 total75 in this make and model20 in the last 90 days

N9071DRegistered now · Piper PA-18A 150S/N 18-6437 Airframe modelPiper PA-18A 150 Engine 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) Without a thorough reconnaissance of a snow covered lake, the pilot took off and hit a snow drift or other unseen and unknown obstacle under the powder snow. The left ski bungie stretched and broke and the left ski safety cable was torn loose. The left ski tipped down causing extraordinary drag. The aircraft was barely controllable and the pilot decided to return to the lake and land. Upon landing, the tipped ski dug into the snow causing the aircraft to tip over onto it's back.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) WITHOUT A THOROUGH RECONNAISSANCE OF A SNOW COVERED LAKE, THE PILOT TOOK OFF AND HIT A SNOW DRIFT OR OTHER UNSEEN AND UNKNOWN OBSTACLE UNDER THE POWDER SNOW. THE LEFT SKI BUNGIE STRETCHED AND BROKE AND THE LEFT SKI SAFETY CABLE WAS TORN LOOSE. THE LEFT SKI TIPPED DOWN CAUSING EXTRAORDINARY DRAG. THE AIRCRAFT WAS BARELY CONTROLLABLE AND THE PILOT DECIDED TO RETURN TO THE LAKE AND LAND. UPON LANDING, THE TIPPED SKI DUG INTO THE SNOW CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO TIP OVER ONTO IT'S BACK.

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 ANC05LA036Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportTalkeetna, AKThe pilot's selection of unsuitable terrain for takeoff, which resulted in ski assembly damage during the takeoff run from a frozen, snow-covered lake, and subsequent nose over during an emergency landing. Factors contributing to the accident were an overload…Feb 16, 2005 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N9071D · 1

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

Accident 19900519017349AForced Landing · St Louis, MOSwitched tanks turning final after dropping banner. Engine quit. Nosed over in wheat field. Did not drain sumps.May 19, 1990 · Substantial damage