- Date
- September 11, 2000, 14:00 local (22:00 UTC)
- Place
- Iliamna, AK
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Aircraft
- N18PXPiper PA-18
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 10, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 20000911042359A
- Case key
- 50358
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's selection of unsuitable terrain for landing. A factor in the accident was a tree stump not observed by the pilot.
Analysis
The private certificated pilot was landing on a gravel bar. Just before touchdown, the pilot said a gust of wind blew the airplane to the left of the intended touch down point, and the underside of the left wing struck a tree stump that he did not see before landing. The airplane spun to the right and struck the ground. The airplane received damage to the right wing, and the right horizontal stabilizer.
Factual narrative
On September 11, 2000, about 1400 Alaska daylight time, a tundra tire equipped Piper PA-18 airplane, N18PX, sustained substantial damage during landing on a gravel bar, about 60 miles west-southwest of Iliamna, Alaska, at latitude 59 degrees, 45.021 minutes north, and longitude 156 degrees, 52.680 minutes west. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) cross-country personal flight when the accident occurred. The airplane was operated by the pilot. The private certificated pilot, and the sole passenger, were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed.
During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), on September 16, 2000, the pilot reported he was landing on a gravel bar along the Mulchatna River. Just before touchdown, the pilot said a gust of wind blew the airplane to the left of the intended touch down point, but he said he decided to continue the landing. During the landing flare, the underside of the left wing struck a tree stump that the pilot did not see. The airplane spun to the right and struck the ground. The airplane received damage to the right wing, and the right horizontal stabilizer.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N18PX
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-7505
- Airframe hours
- 4,539
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- John F. Daily
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 23, 2000 · 20 hours before
- Departed
- PAIL · Iliamna, AK
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 42
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 1,694 total · 47 in this make and model · 1,650 as pilot in command · 95 in the last 90 days · 46 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 270° at 5 knots, gusting 10
- Visibility
- 40 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 50 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N18PX · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.