20111010026949A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA-18 · Talkeetna, AK · October 10, 2011

Date: October 10, 2011 · 21:35 local
Place: Talkeetna, AK
Airport: Mcdougal Lodge
Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N124GS
NTSB investigation: NTSBANC12CA003
Reported as: Piper PA-18
Reported engine: Lycoming 0-320 series
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 6,300 total1,300 in this make and model100 in the last 90 days

N124GSRegistered now · Piper PA-18S/N 5287 · Built 1956 Airframe modelPiper PA-18 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.

Pilot was doing off airport landing on gravel bar on yentina river. Pilot knew about up-rooted tree stump near landing area. Pilot was distracted by sun flash of water, right wing tip made contact with up-rooted tree stump. Right wing tip damage and damage into ribs and outboard end of aft spar. Pilot recovered control and came to a stop.

As the FAA filed it

PILOT WAS DOING OFF AIRPORT LANDING ON GRAVEL BAR ON YENTINA RIVER. PILOT KNEW ABOUT UP-ROOTED TREE STUMP NEAR LANDING AREA.PILOT WAS DISTRACTED BY SUN FLASH OF WATER, RIGHT WING TIP MADE CONTACT WITH UP-ROOTED TREE STUMP. RIGHT WING TIP DAMAGE AND DAMAGE INTO RIBS AND OUTBOARD END OF AFT SPAR.PILOT RECOVERED CONTROL AND CAME TO A STOP.

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 ANC12CA003Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportSkwentna, AKThe pilot's inadequate clearance from a tree during an off-airport landing.Oct 10, 2011 · Substantial damage