- Date
- May 6, 2004, 11:30 local (19:30 UTC)
- Place
- Kasilof, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N2521SPiper PA-18
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 24, 2005
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20040506009589A
- Case key
- 59286
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 inadequate compensation for wind conditions while landing, which resulted in an undershoot and an in-flight collision with terrain. Factors associated with the accident were a downdraft, and an embankment.
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 solo private certificated pilot was landing on a remote sand-covered beach. He said he flew over the beach, and observed a small creek at the approach end of his intended landing site. He reported that during the landing flare, he encountered a slight downdraft, and he inadvertently allowed the airplane to descend below the intended glide path. He said that the main wheels struck the bank of the creek, and the right main landing gear collapsed. Following the landing gear collapse, the right wing struck the beach. The airplane sustained structural damage to the right wing, both right lift struts, and fuselage. The pilot said that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies noted with the airplane.
Factual narrative
On May 6, 2004, about 1130 Alaska daylight time, a tundra tire-equipped Piper PA-18 airplane, N2521S, sustained substantial damage when the right main landing gear collapsed and the right wing struck the ground while landing, about 35 miles west of Kasilof, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) cross-country personal flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The solo private certificated pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated about 1000, from the Merrill Field Airport, Anchorage, Alaska.
During a telephone conversation with the NTSB investigator-in-charge on May 7, the pilot reported he was landing on a remote sand-covered beach site, commonly known as Polly Creek. He said he flew over the beach, and observed a small creek at the approach end of his intended landing site. The pilot reported that during the landing flare, he encountered a slight downdraft, and he inadvertently allowed the airplane to descend below the intended glide path. He said that the main wheels struck the bank of the creek, and the right main landing gear collapsed. Following the landing gear collapse, the right wing struck the beach. The airplane sustained structural damage to the right wing, both right lift struts, and fuselage. The pilot said that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies noted with the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2521S
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-7909152
- Airframe hours
- 1,744.1
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-A2B, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Jan K. Sieberts
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 19, 2003 · 21 hours before
- Departed
- MRI · Anchorage, AK
- Destination
- Kasilof, AK
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
- 61
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- September 1, 2003
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 703 total · 694 in this make and model · 641 as pilot in command · 6 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 360° at 5 knots, gusting 10
- Visibility
- 50 statute miles
- Temperature
- 50 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.39 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.