What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On September 15, 2023, around 6:30 pm local Alaska time, a Piper PA-18 aircraft with registration privacy data omittedattempted to land on a gravel strip located at the south end of farewell lake. The accident occurred approximately at coordinates N62°32’33”, and W153°37’00”. The runway, oriented southeast, was about 1600 feet long. The pilot estimated the wind to be blowing from the southwest at 20-25 knots. Before attempting the landing, the pilot conducted multiple overflights of the intended landing area to assess the conditions. During the landing approach, the pilot reduced the airspeed to about 40 mph (35 knots). However, the strong right crosswind pushed the aircraft off the centerline, and due to the low airspeed, the pilot lacked sufficient rudder control to counter the crosswind effectively. Consequently, the aircraft veered left, and the left wing struck dense vegetation and birch trees at the upwind edge of the runway. The impact caused the aircraft to rotate 90 degrees to the left, leading to a propeller strike. The right-wing also made contact with additional brush and trees, resulting in damage to both wings and the propeller.
As the FAA filed it
ON SEPTEMBER 15, 2023, AROUND 6:30 PM LOCAL ALASKA TIME, A PIPER PA-18 AIRCRAFT WITH REGISTRATION ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ATTEMPTED TO LAND ON A GRAVEL STRIP LOCATED AT THE SOUTH END OF FAREWELL LAKE. THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED APPROXIMATELY AT COORDINATES N62°32’33”, AND W153°37’00”. THE RUNWAY, ORIENTED SOUTHEAST, WAS ABOUT 1600 FEET LONG. THE PILOT ESTIMATED THE WIND TO BE BLOWING FROM THE SOUTHWEST AT 20-25 KNOTS. BEFORE ATTEMPTING THE LANDING, THE PILOT CONDUCTED MULTIPLE OVERFLIGHTS OF THE INTENDED LANDING AREA TO ASSESS THE CONDITIONS. DURING THE LANDING APPROACH, THE PILOT REDUCED THE AIRSPEED TO ABOUT 40 MPH (35 KNOTS). HOWEVER, THE STRONG RIGHT CROSSWIND PUSHED THE AIRCRAFT OFF THE CENTERLINE, AND DUE TO THE LOW AIRSPEED, THE PILOT LACKED SUFFICIENT RUDDER CONTROL TO COUNTER THE CROSSWIND EFFECTIVELY. CONSEQUENTLY, THE AIRCRAFT VEERED LEFT, AND THE LEFT WING STRUCK DENSE VEGETATION AND BIRCH TREES AT THE UPWIND EDGE OF THE RUNWAY. THE IMPACT CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO ROTATE 90 DEGREES TO THE LEFT, LEADING TO A PROPELLER STRIKE. THE RIGHT-WING ALSO MADE CONTACT WITH ADDITIONAL BRUSH AND TREES, RESULTING IN DAMAGE TO BOTH WINGS AND THE PROPELLER.
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 N1755P · 4
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.