# NTSB ANC06CA065: Piper PA-12, N2945M, Wasilla, AK, May 29, 2006 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: May 28, 2006, 16:00 local (May 29, 2006, 00:00 UTC) - Place: Wasilla, AK - Coordinates: 61.7775, -149.399169 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=61.7775&lon=-149.3992&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report October 3, 2006 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 63773 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC06CA065 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/63773/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC06CA065 ## Probable cause The pilot's inadequate compensation for a tailwind during the landing flare, which resulted in an in-flight collision with snow-covered terrain during an aborted landing. Factors contributing to the accident were a tailwind and rising terrain. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown - weather condition - tailwind (contributing factor) - compensation for wind conditions - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - flare - improper, pilot in command - In flight collision with terrain/water, landing - aborted - terrain condition - rising (contributing factor) - terrain condition - snow covered - Nose over, landing - aborted ## Analysis The commercial certificated pilot was landing at a remote site on a CFR Part 91 personal flight. His intended landing area was about 600 feet long and 70 feet wide, and consisted of slightly rising grass-covered terrain. Areas of snow were along the left side of the landing area. The pilot said the wind conditions were calm during the approach, but as he flared for the touch down, a quartering tailwind resulted in a slight bounce. He added full engine power to abort the landing, but the airplane settled to the ground once again, collided with an area of snow along the left side, and nosed over. The airplane received structural damage to the left wing, both wing lift struts, and the rudder. ## Factual narrative The commercial certificated pilot was landing at a remote site on a CFR Part 91 personal flight. His intended landing area was about 600 feet long and 70 feet wide, and consisted of slightly rising grass-covered terrain. Areas of snow were along the left side of the landing area. The pilot said the wind conditions were calm during the approach, but as he flared for the touch down, a quartering tailwind resulted in a slight bounce. He added full engine power to abort the landing, but the airplane settled to the ground once again, collided with an area of snow along the left side, and nosed over. The airplane received structural damage to the left wing, both wing lift struts, and the rudder. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N2945M](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N2945M), registered now, S/N 12-1344, built 1946 (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 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 12-1344 - Engines: Lycoming O-320-A2B reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Robbie D. Speer - Registered owner: Robbie D. Speer - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: Wasilla, AK ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 42; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, single-engine sea; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2; flight hours: 7,200 total, 59 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day ## 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 20060528010419A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20060528010419A), May 28, 2006: Piper PA12, Wasilla, AK, Substantial damage. (-23) Pilot was landing his PA-12 off-airport near a gold mine approximately 18 miles northeast of Wasilla, Alaska. On his overflight the windsocks from a… ## Other investigations on N2945M (3) 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. - [NTSB ANC26LA100](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC26LA100), Sep 10, 2026: Piper PA12 (N2945M), Arctic Village, AK, substantial damage, investigation ongoing - [NTSB ANC11CA113](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC11CA113), Sep 26, 2011: Piper PA-12 (N2945M), Talkeetna, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s decision to take off from an off-airport site in variable wind. - [NTSB ANC68F0067](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC68F0067), Nov 6, 1967: Piper PA-12 (N2945M), Port Heiden, AK, substantial damage 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.