- Date
- August 9, 2006, 18:00 local (Aug 10, 2006, 02:00 UTC)
- Place
- Coldfoot, AK
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N7663HPiper PA-12
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report December 28, 2006
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 20060809020219A
- Case key
- 64618
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, which resulted in an in-flight collision with terrain during an aborted landing. Factors associated with the accident were wind gusts, and rough and uneven terrain.
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 private pilot was landing on a mountain ridgeline in a tundra tire-equipped airplane during a Title 14, CFR Part 91 business flight. The pilot said that he inadvertently touched down about 10 feet beyond his intended touchdown point, and he added full engine power to abort the landing. After becoming airborne, a gust of wind pushed the airplane towards the ground, and the right main wheel struck a large rock. The airplane collided with the ground, and the main landing gear collapsed. The airplane sustained structural damage to the wings, fuselage, and empennage. The pilot noted that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane.
Factual narrative
The private pilot was landing on a mountain ridgeline in a tundra tire-equipped airplane during a Title 14, CFR Part 91 business flight. The pilot said that he inadvertently touched down about 10 feet beyond his intended touchdown point, and he added full engine power to abort the landing. After becoming airborne, a gust of wind pushed the airplane towards the ground, and the right main wheel struck a large rock. The airplane collided with the ground, and the main landing gear collapsed. The airplane sustained structural damage to the wings, fuselage, and empennage. The pilot noted that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7663H
- Reported as
- Piper PA-12
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 12-543
- Airframe hours
- 4,692.4
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A2D, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Douglas L. Zweifel
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 1, 2006
- Departed
- Chandalar, AK
- Destination
- Coldfoot, 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
- 45
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 1, 2006
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 1,210 total · 1,175 in this make and model · 1,210 as pilot in command · 51 in the last 90 days · 25 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
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 N7663H · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.