# Accident 20220411005309A: Piper PA-18-150, Beluga, AK, April 11, 2022

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 11, 2022, 18:45 local time
- Place: Beluga, AK
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 61.4135° N, 151.9883° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=61.4135&lon=-151.9883&mi=10
- Aircraft: N135ES, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N135ES) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-18-150 (registry code 7101828, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-18-150) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming O-360-C4P (registry code 42289, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-360-c4p) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-18-150
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 200 total, 40 in this make and model, 6 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC22LA029](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC22LA029) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20220411005309A

## Narrative

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

ON APRIL 11, 2022 AT APPROXIMATELY 1130 LOCAL N135ES A BORROWED AIRCRAFT WITH AN EXPIRED SPECIAL AIRWORTHINESS CERTIFICATE DEPARTED BIRCHWOOD AIRPORT ALASKA WITH ONE PAX FOR PERSONAL FLIGHTS TO LAND ON GLACIERS ON TORDRILLO  MOUNTAINS AT APPROXIMATELY 4600 ELEVATION NEAR BELUGA ALASKA. AFTER A COUPLE OF LANDINGS FOR THE PURPOSES OF DROPPING OFF A SNOW SKIER, THE PILOT ATTEMPTED LANDING ONE LAST TIME AT THE SAME LOCATION AS THE PREVIOUS LANDING.

THE PILOT SETUP THE LANDING AS PREVIOUSLY COMPLETED BUT FAILED TO MAINTAIN THE CORRECT AIRSPEED AND FLOATED AND IMPACTED A DEPRESSION IN THE LANDING ZONE THAT CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE LANDING SKI LANDING GEAR AND THE LEFT WING. THE PILOT AND PASSENGER EXITED THE AIRCRAFT WITH NO INJURIES.

IT DOES NOT APPEAR THAT THE ACCIDENT WAS THE RESULT OF AN AIRWORTHINESS ISSUE OF THE AIRCRAFT.

## 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 ANC22LA029](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC22LA029), Apr 12, 2022: Piper PA-18-150 (N135ES), Beluga, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s excessive touchdown speed, which resulted in a long landing and impact with terrain.

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.