20151006017139A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA-12 · Glennallen, AK · October 6, 2015

Date: October 6, 2015 · 18:20 local
Place: Glennallen, AK
Airport: Gulkana
Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N7879H
NTSB investigation: NTSBGAA16CA008
Reported as: Piper PA-12
Reported engine: Lycoming 0-235 series
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 107 total40 in this make and model30 in the last 90 days

N7879HRegistered now · Piper PA-12S/N 12-782 · Built 1946 Airframe modelPiper PA-12 Engine modelLycoming 0-235 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.

Pilot departed Gulkana Airport (gkn) at 1740 for copper center airport (Z93) while returning to gkn the pilot deviated to the east and saw an off-airport landing area. The off-airport landing site is a 60X350 foot clearing approximately 21 miles ene of Glennallen Alaska. Pilot described his intention to land at a location that he had not attempted prior to accident. He made two passes looking at the landing area and saw nothing that prevented his landing. During landing approach, just before touchdown at about 20 ft. AGL, the aircraft struck trees with the left wing losing control, causing the aircraft to come to rest in the brush. The aircraft sustained substantial damage to the left wing, left landing gear, right wing tip and right strut.

Maintenance of the aircraft and weather was not a factor.

Weather at gkn: METAR pagk 061753Z auto 01003KTS 10SM clr M02/M06 A2996

As the FAA filed it

PILOT DEPARTED GULKANA AIRPORT (GKN) AT 1740 FOR COPPER CENTER AIRPORT (Z93) WHILE RETURNING TO GKN THE PILOT DEVIATED TO THE EAST AND SAW AN OFF-AIRPORT LANDING AREA. THE OFF-AIRPORT LANDING SITE IS A 60X350 FOOT CLEARING APPROXIMATELY 21 MILES ENE OF GLENNALLEN ALASKA. PILOT DESCRIBED HIS INTENTION TO LAND AT A LOCATION THAT HE HAD NOT ATTEMPTED PRIOR TO ACCIDENT. HE MADE TWO PASSES LOOKING AT THE LANDING AREA AND SAW NOTHING THAT PREVENTED HIS LANDING. DURING LANDING APPROACH, JUST BEFORE TOUCHDOWN AT ABOUT 20 FT. AGL, THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK TREES WITH THE LEFT WING LOSING CONTROL, CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO COME TO REST IN THE BRUSH. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE LEFT WING, LEFT LANDING GEAR, RIGHT WING TIP AND RIGHT STRUT.

MAINTENANCE OF THE AIRCRAFT AND WEATHER WAS NOT A FACTOR.

WEATHER AT GKN: METAR PAGK 061753Z AUTO 01003KTS 10SM CLR M02/M06 A2996

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 GAA16CA008Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportGlennallen, AKThe pilot's failure to maintain clearance from trees during the approach to land, resulting in a collision with trees.Oct 7, 2015 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N7879H · 1

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

Incident 20010616014889IRoll-Out (Fixed Wing) · Anchorage, AK(-23) Pilot had radio failure. Overflew runway, got green light. Wind favored rwy 31 (nw) at lake Hood strip. Landing was made into the sun, pilot temporarily blinded, drifted off to edge of runway and soft spot caused aircraft to tip up on its nose. I…Jun 16, 2001 · Minor damage