- Date
- March 31, 2001, 17:00 local (21:00 UTC)
- Place
- Palmer, AK
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N4606ZPiper PA-22-108
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 20, 2002
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20010331016789A
- Case key
- 53188
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 an unsuitable takeoff area. A factor associated with the accident was rough/uneven terrain.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The certificated private pilot was departing from a snow-covered 800 feet long site, in a tundra-tire equipped airplane. The pilot said that as he neared the end of the site, just before the airplane became airborne, the right main wheel hit a rut, and the right main landing gear collapsed. The airplane veered to the right, and collided with a stand of willows.
Factual narrative
On March 31, 2001, about 1700 Alaska standard time, N4606Z, a tundra tire-equipped Piper PA-22-108 airplane, converted to a tailwheel configuration, sustained substantial damage during takeoff from an off airport site, about 23 miles southeast of Palmer, Alaska. The certificated private pilot, and the one passenger aboard, were not injured. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) personal flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated about 1300, from the Wasilla Airport, Wasilla, Alaska.
During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge on April 1, the pilot reported that he was departing to the west from a snow-covered 800 feet long site. He said that as he neared the end of the site, just before the airplane became airborne, the right main wheel hit a rut, and the right main landing gear collapsed. He said the airplane veered to the right, and collided with a stand of willow trees. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and fuselage.
The pilot said that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4606Z
- Reported as
- Piper PA-22-108
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 22-8120
- Airframe hours
- 3,605
- Engine
- Lycoming O-290-D2, 135 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Jeffrey R. Clements
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 9, 2000 · 93 hours before
- Departed
- Palmer, AK
- Destination
- WAS · Wasilla, 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
- 40
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 105 total · 50 in this make and model · 61 as pilot in command · 35 in the last 90 days · 15 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 36 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.62 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.