ANC01LA044

The certificated commercial pilot was flying the first airplane in a flight of two airplanes over an area of snow-covered terrain. He said that as the flight progressed, weather conditions worsened as they entered an area of mountainous terrain. He said that as both airplanes progressed along the intended route, weather conditions were about 300 feet overcast, and visibility about 3 miles. The accident pilot said that as he flew over a large and featureless snow-covered lake, he was maintaining visual reference to the ground by using terrain features on the lake shoreline on the right side of the airplane. He reported that as weather conditions worsened, he radioed the second airplane that he was turning around. He began a left turn, and during the turn, he said he lost all visual reference to the frozen, snow-covered lake. He added that he was able to level the wings just before colliding with the surface of the snow-covered lake.

On March 29, 2001, about 1400 Alaska standard time, a tundra tire equipped Piper PA-12 airplane, N4028H, sustained substantial damage during a collision with a snow-covered frozen lake, about 8 miles south-southwest of Cooper Landing, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) cross-country personal flight when the accident occurred. The solo certificated commercial pilot received serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed in the area of the accident. The flight originated at the Cordova Airport, Cordova, Alaska, about 1230.

During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge on April 2, the pilot reported that he was flying the first airplane in a flight of two airplanes, en route to Homer, Alaska. He said that as the flight progressed, weather conditions worsened soon after they passed over Seward, Alaska, and entered an area of mountainous terrain. He said that as both airplanes flew northwest, along the Resurrection River, weather conditions were about 300 feet overcast, and visibility about 3 miles. The accident pilot said that as he flew over a large and featureless snow-covered lake, he was maintaining visual reference to the ground by using terrain features on the lake shoreline on the right side of the airplane. He reported that as weather conditions worsened, he radioed the second airplane that he was turning around. He began a left turn, and during the turn, he said he lost all visual reference to the frozen, snow-covered lake. He added that he was able to level the wings just before colliding with the surface of the snow-covered lake. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings, fuselage, and landing gear. The pilot sustained a broken left leg.

In the pilot's written report to the NTSB dated July 5, 2001, the pilot reported that as he made the left turn, he attempted to slow the airplane, and land on the frozen lake. He said that the airplane landed hard on the ice, which destroyed the landing gear, and left wing.