What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot narrative---i was assigned to take 2 pax and baggage from bethel to Kwigillingok in the Piper lance, N8209C. Loading and fuel for the flight as follows:
A/c basic empty weight------------------2130#
Fuel (37 gal @ 6# per gal)----------------- 216#
Payload (pilot, passengers & cargo)-----1185#
T/o weight-----------------------------------3531#
Fuel burn @ 15 g.p.h. (10.5 gal)---------- 103# (minus)
Ldg, weight----------------------------------3401#
Max. Gross weight--------------------------3600#
I checked the wx-cam and departed bethel 1242 (LCL). The flight to kwk was uneventful. When passing near tuntutluiak (wtl), I heard an aircraft with ?alpha victor? Call sign make a position report on 122.7 freq. I inquired of that pilot his departure point. He responded, ?kwig.? So I asked him the conditions at that airstrip. His response was that there was a broken ceiling with good visibility and the wind was northeast at about 10 KTS. I had some concern about landing at kwk and having to make a 180 degree turn-around on the narrow runway. This concern grew in my mind as I got close I decided to see if I could use runway 15 for landing so I could turn directly from the runway onto the ramp, which (if you look at the airport diagram) is about 2/3RDS to 3/4RS of the way from the rwy 15 threshold. Also, when I saw the windsock it was my judgment that there was more of a crosswind than a tailwind. So, these factors and that it is also one of the shortest we use out of bethel, made me try to land as close to the threshold as possible. As I turned final the low sun in my face added to my judgement difficulty and I touched down short. The right main gear plowed through some deep snow and I believe this caused the scissor-link to break, allowing that wheel to pivot 90 degrees to the side. The result was that aircraft was pulled to the right and I could not steer it back on the runway. The right gear was then sheared off, causing the right wing to contact the snow berm on the right of the runway damaging it as well as the right stabilator. The propeller hit the ground and the cowling was damaged. The other landing gear folded and the aircraft pivoted 90 degrees. As it plowed to a halt, further damaging the fuselage and other parts.
I checked for any injuries and made sure the passengers evacuated the aircraft. Local police and the Kwigillingok Airport manager responded very quickly. Fuel containment procedures were begun with absorbent pads for fuel was leaking from the damaged right wing. The left wing appeared to have remained intact. Approximately 8 to 10 gallons of avgas were recovered with the anti-contamination procedures, I was told. Which seemed correct considering the landing fuel load.
As the FAA filed it
PILOT NARRATIVE---I WAS ASSIGNED TO TAKE 2 PAX AND BAGGAGE FROM BETHEL TO KWIGILLINGOK IN THE PIPER LANCE, N8209C. LOADING AND FUEL FOR THE FLIGHT AS FOLLOWS:
A/C BASIC EMPTY WEIGHT------------------2130#
FUEL (37 GAL @ 6# PER GAL)----------------- 216#
PAYLOAD (PILOT, PASSENGERS & CARGO)-----1185#
T/O WEIGHT-----------------------------------3531#
FUEL BURN @ 15 G.P.H. (10.5 GAL)---------- 103# (MINUS)
LDG, WEIGHT----------------------------------3401#
MAX. GROSS WEIGHT--------------------------3600#
I CHECKED THE WX-CAM AND DEPARTED BETHEL 1242 (LCL). THE FLIGHT TO KWK WAS UNEVENTFUL. WHEN PASSING NEAR TUNTUTLUIAK (WTL), I HEARD AN AIRCRAFT WITH ?ALPHA VICTOR? CALL SIGN MAKE A POSITION REPORT ON 122.7 FREQ. I INQUIRED OF THAT PILOT HIS DEPARTURE POINT. HE RESPONDED, ?KWIG.? SO I ASKED HIM THE CONDITIONS AT THAT AIRSTRIP. HIS RESPONSE WAS THAT THERE WAS A BROKEN CEILING WITH GOOD VISIBILITY AND THE WIND WAS NORTHEAST AT ABOUT 10 KTS. I HAD SOME CONCERN ABOUT LANDING AT KWK AND HAVING TO MAKE A 180 DEGREE TURN-AROUND ON THE NARROW RUNWAY. THIS CONCERN GREW IN MY MIND AS I GOT CLOSE I DECIDED TO SEE IF I COULD USE RUNWAY 15 FOR LANDING SO I COULD TURN DIRECTLY FROM THE RUNWAY ONTO THE RAMP, WHICH (IF YOU LOOK AT THE AIRPORT DIAGRAM) IS ABOUT 2/3RDS TO 3/4RS OF THE WAY FROM THE RWY 15 THRESHOLD. ALSO, WHEN I SAW THE WINDSOCK IT WAS MY JUDGMENT THAT THERE WAS MORE OF A CROSSWIND THAN A TAILWIND. SO, THESE FACTORS AND THAT IT IS ALSO ONE OF THE SHORTEST WE USE OUT OF BETHEL, MADE ME TRY TO LAND AS CLOSE TO THE THRESHOLD AS POSSIBLE. AS I TURNED FINAL THE LOW SUN IN MY FACE ADDED TO MY JUDGEMENT DIFFICULTY AND I TOUCHED DOWN SHORT. THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR PLOWED THROUGH SOME DEEP SNOW AND I BELIEVE THIS CAUSED THE SCISSOR-LINK TO BREAK, ALLOWING THAT WHEEL TO PIVOT 90 DEGREES TO THE SIDE. THE RESULT WAS THAT AIRCRAFT WAS PULLED TO THE RIGHT AND I COULD NOT STEER IT BACK ON THE RUNWAY. THE RIGHT GEAR WAS THEN SHEARED OFF, CAUSING THE RIGHT WING TO CONTACT THE SNOW BERM ON THE RIGHT OF THE RUNWAY DAMAGING IT AS WELL AS THE RIGHT STABILATOR. THE PROPELLER HIT THE GROUND AND THE COWLING WAS DAMAGED. THE OTHER LANDING GEAR FOLDED AND THE AIRCRAFT PIVOTED 90 DEGREES. AS IT PLOWED TO A HALT, FURTHER DAMAGING THE FUSELAGE AND OTHER PARTS.
I CHECKED FOR ANY INJURIES AND MADE SURE THE PASSENGERS EVACUATED THE AIRCRAFT. LOCAL POLICE AND THE KWIGILLINGOK AIRPORT MANAGER RESPONDED VERY QUICKLY. FUEL CONTAINMENT PROCEDURES WERE BEGUN WITH ABSORBENT PADS FOR FUEL WAS LEAKING FROM THE DAMAGED RIGHT WING. THE LEFT WING APPEARED TO HAVE REMAINED INTACT. APPROXIMATELY 8 TO 10 GALLONS OF AVGAS WERE RECOVERED WITH THE ANTI-CONTAMINATION PROCEDURES, I WAS TOLD. WHICH SEEMED CORRECT CONSIDERING THE LANDING FUEL LOAD.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N8209C · 2
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