# Incident 20150102002209I: Piper PA-18, Beluga Lake, AK, January 2, 2015

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 2, 2015, 15:47 local time
- Place: Beluga Lake, AK
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Rollout
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft: N1270A, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N1270A) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-18 (registry code 7101802, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-18) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-290 series (registry code 41506, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-290-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-18
- Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-290 SERIES
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 3,466 total, 75 in this make and model, 35 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20150102002209I

## Narrative

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

THE WEATHER WAS CLEAR AND IT WAS A ?BEAUTIFUL DAY TO FLY?.  PIC STATED SHE HAD MADE 4 OR 5 PASSES TO A FROZEN SANDBAR ON BELUGA LAKE ALASKA AND WAS MAKING INCREASINGLY DEEPER MARKS IN THE SNOW WITH THE LANDING GEAR (WHEELS) BY REDUCING POWER DURING EACH ATTEMPT AS SHE WAS TRYING TO DETERMINE SNOW DEPTH.  ON THE 6TH ATTEMPT SHE REDUCED POWER TO IDLE.  THE SNOW WAS DEEPER THAN SHE EXPECTED, SHE ESTIMATED ABOUT 1 FOOT DEEP.

IN A ?SLOW MOTION? THE NOSE BEGAN TO ?EASE OVER? AND THERE WASN?T ANYTHING SHE COULD DO TO STOP IT.  SHE PULLED THE MIXTURE FULL LEAN IN AN ATTEMPT TO KILL THE ENGINE BEFORE THE PROPELLER STRUCK THE GROUND.  PIC ALSO STATED SHE THOUGHT THE SNOW IN FRONT OF THE AIRCRAFT HELPED TO ?CUSHION? THE PROPELLER AND THAT?S WHY THERE WASN?T TOO MUCH DAMAGE.

PIC STATED THE ONLY DAMAGE SHE NOTICED WAS 1 PROPELLER TIP BENT.  PIC STATED SHE THOUGHT THERE HAD BEEN MORE DAMAGE DONE TO THE COWLING DURING THE RECOVERY AND REPAIR PROCESS.

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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