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20120718015229A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Piper PA-18-150 · Valdez, AK · July 18, 2012

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
July 18, 2012 · 15:30 local
Place
Valdez, AK
Phase of flight
Landing: Rollout
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N3764Z
NTSB investigation
NTSBANC12CA076
Reported as
Piper PA-18-150
Reported engine
Lycoming 0-320 series
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificate
Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours
500 total300 in this make and model28 in the last 90 days
N3764ZRegistered now · Piper PA-18-150S/N 18-7527 · Built 1960Airframe 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.

Airman landed his aircraft on the coghill river gravel bar. This was his first trip to that gravel bar this year and has only been there 5 or 6 times total in the past. Airman stated that he flew over the landing site twice to survey the conditions of the 450 to 500 foot landing area. There was debris in the area he usually uses and because of that he aimed a little to the right to give himself some extra landing distance. There was alder brush that was higher than he estimated during his survey from the air, and when he landed, he hit the right wing with the brush causing the aircraft to veer to the right and starting a ground loop. He was close enough to the water that he figured it was best to continue the ground loop to avoid going into the river. As the aircraft was turning in the loop, the oversized tundra tires dug into the soft gravel causing an abrupt stop. This caused the aircraft to tip over onto its left side damaging the outboard part of the left wing from its strut attachment point outward and the horizontal stabilizer. This damage compromised the aircraft's structural integrity.

As the FAA filed it

AIRMAN LANDED HIS AIRCRAFT ON THE COGHILL RIVER GRAVEL BAR. THIS WAS HIS FIRST TRIP TO THAT GRAVEL BAR THIS YEAR AND HAS ONLY BEEN THERE 5 OR 6 TIMES TOTAL IN THE PAST. AIRMAN STATED THAT HE FLEW OVER THE LANDING SITE TWICE TO SURVEY THE CONDITIONS OF THE 450 TO 500 FOOT LANDING AREA. THERE WAS DEBRIS IN THE AREA HE USUALLY USES AND BECAUSE OF THAT HE AIMED A LITTLE TO THE RIGHT TO GIVE HIMSELF SOME EXTRA LANDING DISTANCE. THERE WAS ALDER BRUSH THAT WAS HIGHER THAN HE ESTIMATED DURING HIS SURVEY FROM THE AIR, AND WHEN HE LANDED, HE HIT THE RIGHT WING WITH THE BRUSH CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO VEER TO THE RIGHT AND STARTING A GROUND LOOP. HE WAS CLOSE ENOUGH TO THE WATER THAT HE FIGURED IT WAS BEST TO CONTINUE THE GROUND LOOP TO AVOID GOING INTO THE RIVER. AS THE AIRCRAFT WAS TURNING IN THE LOOP, THE OVERSIZED TUNDRA TIRES DUG INTO THE SOFT GRAVEL CAUSING AN ABRUPT STOP. THIS CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO TIP OVER ONTO ITS LEFT SIDE DAMAGING THE OUTBOARD PART OF THE LEFT WING FROM ITS STRUT ATTACHMENT POINT OUTWARD AND THE HORIZONTAL STABILIZER. THIS DAMAGE COMPROMISED THE AIRCRAFT'S STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY.

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 ANC12CA076Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportWhittier, AKThe pilot's failure to maintain clearance from brush during landing, which resulted in a loss of control.Jul 18, 2012 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N3764Z · 2

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

Accident 20180614007869ALanding: Rollout · Wasilla, AKPart 91 noncommercial recreational practice flight. Normal preflight weather and airfield information was reviewed along with preflight and fuel service. At approximately 1330 Alaska time on 14 jun, pilot departed Anderson Lake, rwy 26, to visit mechanic at…Jun 14, 2018 · Substantial damageAccident 20060909020039ARoll-Out (Fixed Wing) · Eagle, AK(-23) Upon landing on a 500 foot gravel strip, pilot overapplied brakes and aircraft flipped over onto back. Pilot had recently installed boosters on his brakes.Sep 9, 2006 · Substantial damage