# NTSB ANC01LA105: Piper PA-18-160, N82047, Talkeetna, AK, August 5, 2001

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: August 5, 2001, 13:15 local (21:15 UTC)
- Place: Talkeetna, AK
- Coordinates: 62.517776, -150.933334
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=62.5178&lon=-150.9333&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): 53071
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC01LA105
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/53071/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC01LA105

## Probable cause

The pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions. 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).

- On ground/water encounter with weather, landing - roll
  - weather condition - crosswind (contributing factor)
- Loss of control - on ground/water, landing - roll
  - compensation for wind conditions - inadequate, pilot in command (cause)
  - landing gear - collapsed

## Analysis

The certificated commerical pilot, with one passenger aboard, was landing on runway 01, which required a correction for a slight left crosswind.  After landing, during the landing roll, the airplane veered slightly to the right.  The pilot added left rudder, in conjunction with left brake to correct the veer.  The airplane subsequently ground looped to the left, and the right main landing gear collapsed. The right wing struck the surface of the airstrip, and sustained substantial damage.  The pilot stated that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane.

## Factual narrative

On August 5, 2001, about 1315 Alaska daylight time, a tundra tire-equipped Piper PA-18-160 airplane, N82047, sustained substantial damage while landing at the Nugget Bench Airstrip, located about 28 miles northwest of Talkeetna, 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 commercial pilot, and the one passenger, were not injured.  Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a VFR flight plan was filed.  The flight originated about 1200, from the Six Mile Lake Airstrip, Elmendorf Air Force Base, Anchorage, Alaska.

During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge on August 6, the pilot reported that he was landing on runway 01, which required a correction for a slight left crosswind.  The pilot stated that during the landing roll, the airplane veered slightly to the right.  He said that as he added left rudder, in conjunction with left brake to correct the veer, the airplane ground looped to the left, and the right main landing gear collapsed. The right wing struck the surface of the airstrip, and sustained substantial damage.

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

## Aircraft

- Registration: N82047 (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: Piper PA-18-160
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 18-7809119
- Airframe hours: 558.5
- Engines: Lycoming O-320-B2B 160 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Registered owner: Sean R. Slaughter
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, January 10, 2001, 57 hours before
- Departed: Six Mile Lake, AK
- Destination: 97Z, Talkeetna, AK
- Flight plan: VFR
- Airport: 97Z, Nugget Bench, runway 01, 1,240 × 38 ft, gravel

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 28; injuries: none; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review May 12, 2001; seat: front; flight hours: 2,907 total, 75 in this make and model, 2,792 as pilot in command, 183 in the last 90 days, 68 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Temperature: 61 °F
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg

## 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 20010805036259A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010805036259A), Aug 5, 2001: Piper PA18150, Talkeetna, AK, No damage. (-23) At approximately noon on August 5, 2001, pilot was on a pleasure flight to nugget bench airport, west of Talkeetna, Alaska. The winds were light and…

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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