# NTSB ANC02LA037: Piper PA-12, N2514M, Soldotna, AK, May 21, 2002 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: May 21, 2002, 15:14 local (23:14 UTC) - Place: Soldotna, AK - Coordinates: 60.476112, -151.032501 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=60.4761&lon=-151.0325&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report December 6, 2002 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - Parties: FAA-AL-ANC FSDO 03 - NTSB case key (mKey): 54754 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC02LA037 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/54754/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=54754 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC02LA037 ## Probable cause The pilot's inadequate compensation for a crosswind during the landing roll. A factor was the presence of 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) - compensation for wind conditions - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - meteorological equipment - inaccurate - Main gear collapsed, landing - roll - landing gear,main gear strut - overload - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - roll - terrain condition - runway ## Analysis The private certificated pilot was landing with a left crosswind on runway 07. He indicated the wind sock was 90 degrees to the runway, standing straight out. During the landing roll, the right main landing gear collapsed. The right wing and the right elevator struck the ground. The pilot said the wind conditions were from the north about 12 knots. The airplane received damage to the right wing, and the right main landing gear. ## Factual narrative On May 21, 2002, about 1514 Alaska daylight time, a wheel-equipped Piper PA-12 airplane, N2514M, sustained substantial damage during landing at the Soldotna Airport, Soldotna, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) cross-country personal flight when the accident occurred. The airplane was operated by the pilot. The private certificated pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight originated from Anchorage, Alaska, about 1430. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), on May 21, the pilot reported he was landing with a left crosswind on runway 07 at Soldotna. He indicated the wind sock was 90 degrees to the runway, standing straight out. During the landing roll, the right main landing gear collapsed. The right wing and the right elevator struck the ground. The pilot said the wind conditions were from the north about 12 knots. A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) operations inspector, Anchorage Flight Standards District Office (FSDO), arrived at the Soldotna Airport just after the accident. The inspector reported the right wing was bent upward about 15 degrees. The inspector also indicated that the wind conditions at the airport were regularly changing directions, and the automated weather observation system (AWOS) was not accurately reporting the wind direction. At 1515, the AWOS was reporting in part: Wind, 020 degrees (true) at 6 knots; visibility, 9 statute miles; clouds and sky condition, clear; temperature, 73 degrees F; dew point, 29 degrees F; altimeter, 29.87 inHg. The airport facility directory, Alaska Supplement, states, in part: "Airport remarks - Unattended. ...Runway 07 designated calm wind runway." The Radio/Nav/Weather remarks state, in part: "AWOS-3 wind may be unrepresentative of runway wind conditions." ## Aircraft - Registration: [N2514M](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N2514M-2021-10-30), registration cancelled 2021-10-30, S/N 12-912 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA-12 - Registry model: [Piper PA-12](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-12) (registry code 7101202) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-235 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-235-series) (registry code 41505, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 12-912 - Airframe hours: 3137 - Engines: LYCOMING O-360-A3A 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Bart K. Bias - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, February 21, 2002, 16 hours before - Departed: PAMR, ANCHORAGE, AK - Destination: PASX, SOLDOTNA, AK - Airport: PASX, Soldotna, runway 07, 5,000 × 130 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 43; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine sea, single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review June 5, 2000; seat: front; flight hours: 350 total, 125 in this make and model, 300 as pilot in command, 25 in the last 90 days, 10 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 20° at 6 knots - Visibility: 9 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 73 °F, dew point 28 °F - Altimeter: 29.87 inHg - Observed at: PASX, 1 nm away ## 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 20020521016709A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020521016709A), May 21, 2002: Piper PA12, Soldotna, AK, No damage. (-23) The pilot had departed Soldotna (sxq) airport in the morning with light winds. The wind came up suddenly about 1:00 or 2:00 pm, out of the nne, with… ## Docket (1 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 30, 2002, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=54754. 458 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 458 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40438658&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.