# Accident 20190127005779A: Piper PA-18A, Mcgrath, AK, January 27, 2019

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 27, 2019, 15:00 local time
- Place: Mcgrath, AK
- Airport: Mcgrath
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 62.7861° N, 154.7536° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=62.7861&lon=-154.7536&mi=10
- Aircraft: N8170C, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N8170C) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-18A (registry code 7101804, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-18a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-18A
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB GAA19CA132](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA19CA132) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20190127005779A

## Narrative

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

ON SUNDAY JANUARY 27TH PIC WAS OPERATING N8170C, A PIPER PA-18 ON STRAIGHT SKIS EAST OF MCGRATH ON MY TRAPLINE. ON ABOUT THE NINTH OFF AIRPORT LANDING OF THE DAY AT APPROXIMATELY 1500 HOURS, PIC LANDED ON A PREVIOUSLY UNKNOWN SURFACE AND ENDED UP SIDE LOADING THE GEAR FROM THE LEFT SIDE AGAINST A LARGE "TUSSOCK" HIDDEN BY SNOW. THE LEFT LANDING GEAR FOLDED UNDER THE AIRCRAFT, CAUSING THE LEFT WINGTIP TO DROP INTO THE SNOW AND CONTACT ANOTHER HIDDEN TUSSOCK. THE THROTTLE WAS AT IDLE AT THE TIME OF THE GEAR COLLAPSE, BUT THE PROPELLER DID STOP WHEN IT CONTACTED THE SNOW AND TUNDRA UNDERNEATH. VISIBLE DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT IS A VERY SLIGHT BEND ON THE OUTER 6-8 INCHES OF THE "DOWN" BLADE, COLLAPSED SHOCK STRUTS AND CABANE V BETWEEN THE LANDING GEAR, AND LEFT WING DAMAGE.

## 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 GAA19CA132](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA19CA132), Jan 28, 2019: Piper PA 18A (N8170C), McGrath, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's selection of unsuitable terrain for landing, which resulted in the landing gear collapsing.

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.