# NTSB ANC01LA098: Piper PA-18-150, N6893B, Bethel, AK, July 29, 2001

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: July 28, 2001, 18:40 local (Jul 29, 2001, 02:40 UTC)
- Place: Bethel, AK
- Coordinates: 60.566665, -160.724441
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=60.5667&lon=-160.7244&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report June 3, 2002
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office
- Parties: Federal Aviation Administration
- NTSB case key (mKey): 53212
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC01LA098
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/53212/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC01LA098

## Probable cause

The pilot's inadequate recovery from a bounced landing.  A factor associated with the accident was a crosswind.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown
  - weather condition - crosswind (contributing factor)
- Loss of control - in flight, landing - aborted
  - recovery from bounced landing - inadequate, pilot in command (cause)
- In flight collision with object, landing - aborted
  - object - tree(s)

## Analysis

The certificated commerical pilot, with one passenger aboard, was landing to the northwest, which required a correction for a strong left crosswind.  As the airplane touched down, it bounced, and he added full engine power to abort the landing.  The airplane veered to the right, went off the right side of the runway, and the right wing struck a stand of trees.  The airplane rolled down an embankment, and sustained substantial damage to both wings, fuselage, and empennage. The pilot stated that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane.

## Factual narrative

On July 28, 2001, about 1840 Alaska daylight time, a wheel-equipped Piper PA-18-150 airplane, N6893B, sustained substantial damage while landing at an off airport site located about 45 miles east of Bethel, Alaska.  The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) personal flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred.   The certificated private pilot, and the one passenger, were not injured.  Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed.

During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge on July 28, the pilot reported that he was landing to the northwest, which required a correction for a strong left crosswind.  He said that he bounced the landing, then added full engine power to abort the landing.  The airplane veered to the right, went off the right side of the runway, and the right wing struck a stand of trees.  The airplane rolled down an embankment, and sustained substantial damage to both wings, fuselage, and empennage.

The pilot stated that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane.

## Aircraft

- Registration: N6893B (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: Piper PA-18-150
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 18-5083
- Airframe hours: 2393
- Engines: Lycoming O-320-A2B 150 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Registered owner: Douglas G. Bue
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, April 5, 2001, 55 hours before
- Departed: BET, Bethel, AK
- Destination: AK

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 44; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review April 13, 2001; seat: front; flight hours: 1,169 total, 650 in this make and model, 1,138 as pilot in command, 33 in the last 90 days, 17 in the last 30 days, 7 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 240° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 10,000 ft broken

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 20010728039909A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010728039909A), Jul 28, 2001: Piper PA18150, Bethel, AK, Substantial damage. (-23) On July 28, 2001, the pilot of a PA-18-150, N6893B, was attempting to land on a ridge top strip at an old mining camp. He had been to the strip several…

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.

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