# Accident 20210827013999A: Piper PA-12, Nicolai, AK, August 27, 2021

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 27, 2021, 19:30 local time
- Place: Nicolai, AK
- Airport: Nicolai
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 63.0100° N, 152.4800° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=63.0100&lon=-152.4800&mi=10
- Aircraft: N2579M, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N2579M) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-12 (registry code 7101202, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-12) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-235 series (registry code 41505, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-235-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-12
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 2,700 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC21LA077](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC21LA077) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20210827013999A

## Narrative

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

DESCRIPTION:

DURING TOUCHDOWN ON AN UNIMPROVED AIR STRIP A STRONG GUST OF CROSSWIND HIT THE AIRCRAFT.  AS THE PILOT STARTED TO CORRECT, ONE OF THE MAIN TIRES HIT A ROCK AND THE AIRCRAFT BECAME AIRBORNE AGAIN.  THE PILOT ABORTED THE LANDING BUT COULD NOT GAIN ENOUGH ALTITUDE TO CLEAR THE RISING TERRAIN.  THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE TUNDRA AND FLIPPED.

CAUSAL AND CONTRIBUTING FACTORS:

AN ERRATIC AIRSPEED INDICATOR.

STRONG GUSTING CROSSWIND.

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR SYSTEMIC CORRECTIVE ACTION:  NONE.

COMMENTS:

PIC STATED THAT IN THE FUTURE HE WILL NOT ATTEMPT TO LAND ON A SHORT STRIP IF A CROSSWIND GUST OCCURS.

## 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 ANC21LA077](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC21LA077), Aug 28, 2021: Piper PA-12 (N2579M), Nikolai, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s loss of control on go-around in gusting crosswind conditions. Contributing to accident was the pilot’s decision to attempt to land at a short off-airport landing site with a…

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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