ANC02LA092

The pilot reported that he was making a low pass to examine a sand bar as a potential landing site. He said he intentionally rolled the main wheels on the surface of the sand bar to determine its suitability. As he touched down, the airplane's left wing hit willows alongside the sand bar. He said he initiated a climb, but collided with trees at a slow airspeed about 35 feet above the ground, and the airplane fell to the ground.

On August 6, 2002, about 1400 Alaska daylight time, a Piper PA-18-150 airplane, N4122E, sustained substantial damage when the left wing encountered willows during a low pass over a sandbar, about 25 miles south of Tok, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) local personal flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The solo airline transport pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated at the Tok Airstrip, Tok, about 1300.

During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC) on August 6, the pilot said he was making a low pass over a sandbar to check its suitability for landing. He said his intention was to roll the airplane tires over the surface of the sandbar without landing. He said when the main wheels touched down, the left wingtip flew through some willows, which caused the airplane to veer to the left. He said he initiated a climb, and rolled the airplane to the right. He said the airplane entered the trees to the right of the sandbar, about 35 feet above the ground. The airplane exited the stand of trees at a slow airspeed, and impacted the ground. He said there were no known mechanical anomalies with the airplane prior to the flight.

The airplane sustained damage to both wing leading edges and spars, and the fuselage.