# Accident 20160529025309A: Piper PA-18A 150, Petersville, AK, May 29, 2016

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 29, 2016, 10:21 local time
- Place: Petersville, AK
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 62.0808° N, 150.4908° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=62.0808&lon=-150.4908&mi=10
- Aircraft: N6966D (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-18A 150
- Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 2
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 837 total, 275 in this make and model, 10 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB GAA16CA273](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA16CA273) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20160529025309A

## Narrative

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

AIRMAN TRAVELED TO AN UNIMPROVED STRIP NEAR SHULIN LAKE ON 05/29/2016. AT APPROXIMATELY 1020 THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE WAS ON SHORT FINAL (CONVENTIONAL GEAR AIRPLANE) AND THOUGHT HE HAD CLEARED THE TREES, HOWEVER THE PROPELLER IMPACTED A TREE BRANCH. THE AIRPLANE NOSE DIVED, AND IMPACTED TERRAIN CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE MISJUDGED IT AND THAT IT WAS HIS FAULT. INJURIES WERE INITIALLY REPORTED AS A SERIOUS, HOWEVER IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THIS WAS INSTEAD A SPRAINED ANKLE. PASSENGER AND PILOT SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES (FACIAL LACERATIONS).

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB GAA16CA273](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA16CA273), May 29, 2016: Piper PA 18 (N6966D), Shulin Lake, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from trees during final approach.

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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