# Accident 20110816022019A: Piper PA-18-150, Valdez, AK, August 16, 2011

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 16, 2011, 20:00 local time
- Place: Valdez, AK
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 60.9392° N, 145.9556° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=60.9392&lon=-145.9556&mi=10
- Aircraft: N91134 (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-18-150
- Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-360 SERIES
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 1,119 total, 659 in this make and model, 50 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC11CA081](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC11CA081) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20110816022019A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

AIRCRAFT DEPARTED VALDEZ, AK AT 1700 L WITH ONE PERSON ON BOARD AND FLEW 14 MILES S.E. TO THE HEAD OF BROWNS CREEK TO PRACTICE OFF FIELD LANDINGS ON A GRAVEL BAR AT ABOUT 2000 FT MSL.  AFTER SEVERAL LANDINGS, THE PILOT STATED HE WAS SLIPPING THE AIRCRAFT OVER AN OBSTACLE ON THE APPROACH PATH AND FELT THAT THE WIND, WHICH WAS LESS THAN TEN KNOTS IN HIS ESTIMATION, SWITCHED FROM A HEADWIND TO A TAILWIND.  THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDED RAPIDLY AND STRUCK A MOUND ABOUT 200 FEET SHORT OF INTENDED TOUCHDOWN POINT.  THE IMPACT WITH THE MOUND DAMAGED THE MAIN LANDING GEAR WHICH SUBSEQUENTLY COLLAPSED AND THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST ON THE GRAVEL BAR WITH SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED IN THE ACCIDENT.

## 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 ANC11CA081](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC11CA081), Aug 17, 2011: Piper PA-18-180 (N91134), Valdez, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain the proper approach path, which resulted in a runway undershoot.

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.

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