What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
This accident occurred on August 6, 2014 at about 1600 on a remote runway about 30 NM east of healy AK. The runway is situated in a river valley near the confluence of the wood river and Kansas Creek. The runway elevation is about 2500? With surrounding 5,000-6,000?MSL peaks.
Valley aviation LLC, a single pilot 135 operator, was operating N3502W, a PA-32 with one passenger (company personnel) and cargo. Load manifest indicates the aircraft was 100 pounds under gross and within CG limits.
Pilot stated while on final approach to the Kansas Creek Airstrip the flight encountered a gusty 20-25 mph quartering headwind close to the ground. Pilot stated the headwind component seen on final vanished once below the height of the surrounding trees and over the Airstrip. Pilot stated significant power was added, but about 8 feet above the Airstrip with full flaps down, the stall light flashed and the aircraft settled hard on the main gear. The right main wheel came off the aircraft. The aircraft skidded straight ahead to a stop in about 75 yards. The right wing and right main gear area received significant damage from the rough runway edge where there were numerous small river rocks. There was no prop strike and there were no injuries.
As the FAA filed it
THIS ACCIDENT OCCURRED ON AUGUST 6, 2014 AT ABOUT 1600 ON A REMOTE RUNWAY ABOUT 30 NM EAST OF HEALY AK. THE RUNWAY IS SITUATED IN A RIVER VALLEY NEAR THE CONFLUENCE OF THE WOOD RIVER AND KANSAS CREEK. THE RUNWAY ELEVATION IS ABOUT 2500? WITH SURROUNDING 5,000-6,000?MSL PEAKS.
VALLEY AVIATION LLC, A SINGLE PILOT 135 OPERATOR, WAS OPERATING N3502W, A PA-32 WITH ONE PASSENGER (COMPANY PERSONNEL) AND CARGO. LOAD MANIFEST INDICATES THE AIRCRAFT WAS 100 POUNDS UNDER GROSS AND WITHIN CG LIMITS.
PILOT STATED WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH TO THE KANSAS CREEK AIRSTRIP THE FLIGHT ENCOUNTERED A GUSTY 20-25 MPH QUARTERING HEADWIND CLOSE TO THE GROUND. PILOT STATED THE HEADWIND COMPONENT SEEN ON FINAL VANISHED ONCE BELOW THE HEIGHT OF THE SURROUNDING TREES AND OVER THE AIRSTRIP. PILOT STATED SIGNIFICANT POWER WAS ADDED, BUT ABOUT 8 FEET ABOVE THE AIRSTRIP WITH FULL FLAPS DOWN, THE STALL LIGHT FLASHED AND THE AIRCRAFT SETTLED HARD ON THE MAIN GEAR. THE RIGHT MAIN WHEEL CAME OFF THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT SKIDDED STRAIGHT AHEAD TO A STOP IN ABOUT 75 YARDS. THE RIGHT WING AND RIGHT MAIN GEAR AREA RECEIVED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE FROM THE ROUGH RUNWAY EDGE WHERE THERE WERE NUMEROUS SMALL RIVER ROCKS. THERE WAS NO PROP STRIKE AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.