20131224025389A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA-20 · Platinum, AK · December 24, 2013

Date: December 24, 2013 · 15:40 local
Place: Platinum, AK
Airport: Platinum
Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N7069K
NTSB investigation: NTSBANC14CA013
Reported as: Piper PA-20
Reported engine: Lycoming 0-290 series
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 100 total54 in this make and model54 in the last 90 days

N7069KRegistered now · Piper PA-20S/N 20-174 · Built 1950 Airframe modelPiper PA-20 Engine modelLycoming 0-290 series4 cycle

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 said he checked weather from Alaska aviation weather unit website and had someone walk out on to field at Platinum to check wind since weather reporting at Platinum is inoperational. There is no record of the pilot receiving any kind of weather briefing. Winds were estimated at 5-10 KTS at Platinum. Aircraft left dillingham and landed at togiak to check slightly hot running engine indication. Winds were reporting 10-15 KTS. Landed at togiak no problem. Continued to Platinum, circled the field twice to recon. Determined winds about 15 KTS, decided to land. Approach was fine and continued. Got a gust of wind in the landing flare, caught the landing gear and crashed. Damaged both wing spars and right main gear. No injuries to pilot in command or passenger. Pilot is brand new private pilot, not even processed into database yet, but is operating on a temporary certificate issued 12/19/13.

As the FAA filed it

AIRMAN SAID HE CHECKED WEATHER FROM ALASKA AVIATION WEATHER UNIT WEBSITE AND HAD SOMEONE WALK OUT ON TO FIELD AT PLATINUM TO CHECK WIND SINCE WEATHER REPORTING AT PLATINUM IS INOPERATIONAL. THERE IS NO RECORD OF THE PILOT RECEIVING ANY KIND OF WEATHER BRIEFING. WINDS WERE ESTIMATED AT 5-10 KTS AT PLATINUM. AIRCRAFT LEFT DILLINGHAM AND LANDED AT TOGIAK TO CHECK SLIGHTLY HOT RUNNING ENGINE INDICATION. WINDS WERE REPORTING 10-15 KTS. LANDED AT TOGIAK NO PROBLEM. CONTINUED TO PLATINUM, CIRCLED THE FIELD TWICE TO RECON. DETERMINED WINDS ABOUT 15 KTS, DECIDED TO LAND. APPROACH WAS FINE AND CONTINUED. GOT A GUST OF WIND IN THE LANDING FLARE, CAUGHT THE LANDING GEAR AND CRASHED. DAMAGED BOTH WING SPARS AND RIGHT MAIN GEAR. NO INJURIES TO PILOT IN COMMAND OR PASSENGER. PILOT IS BRAND NEW PRIVATE PILOT, NOT EVEN PROCESSED INTO DATABASE YET, BUT IS OPERATING ON A TEMPORARY CERTIFICATE ISSUED 12/19/13.

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 ANC14CA013Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportPlatinum, AKThe pilot's failure to maintain directional control during a crosswind landing.Dec 24, 2013 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N7069K · 1

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

Incident 20001002018539ICold Bay, AK(-23) This incident was not classified until 10/31/2000. Will amend when additional information is received.Oct 2, 2000 · Substantial damage