- Date
- August 22, 2001, 21:00 local (Aug 23, 2001, 05:00 UTC)
- Place
- Nenana, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N7604HPiper PA-12
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 2, 2002
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20010822020779A
- Case key
- 53224
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 landing area. A factor associated with the accident was trees.
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 landing at an 800 feet long, off airport site. As the airplane neared the approach end of the site, just before touchdown, both main wheels struck a small stand of trees, and the airplane nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and fuselage.
Factual narrative
On August 22, 2001, about 2100 Alaska daylight time, a tundra tire equipped Piper PA-12 airplane, N7604H, sustained substantial damage during landing at an off airport site, about 18 miles east of Nenana, Alaska. The solo certificated private pilot was 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 a VFR flight plan was filed. The flight originated about 2015, from the Chena Marina Airport, Fairbanks, Alaska.
During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge on August 23, the pilot reported that he was landing to the west on an 800 feet long site. He said that as he neared the approach end of the site, just before touchdown, both main wheels struck a small stand of trees, and the airplane nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and fuselage. The pilot said that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane.
The pilot did not submit a Pilot/Operator report (NTSB form 6120.1/2).
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7604H
- Reported as
- Piper PA-12
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 12-479
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235-C, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Mark A. Keech
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- AK28 · Fairbanks, AK
- Destination
- ENN · Nenana, AK
- Flight plan
- VFR
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
- 28
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 230 total · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 25 statute miles
- Temperature
- 61 °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 N7604H · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.