- Date
- October 22, 2006, 17:30 local (Oct 23, 2006, 01:30 UTC)
- Place
- Anchorage, AK
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N3404APiper PA-20-135
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 26, 2007
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20061022029459A
- Case key
- 64752
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 failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll, which resulted in an inadvertent ground loop and encounter with terrain. Factors associated with the accident were the ground loop and inadequate main wheel brakes.
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 commercial certificated pilot was practicing touch and go takeoffs and landings under Title 14, CFR Part 91. He said prior to takeoff, the airplane's brakes functioned, but worked "poorly." During the landing roll, he stated that the airplane veered sharply to the right, and he was unable to correct for the deviation using the brakes and rudder. He said the airplane exited the runway to the right, and ground-looped. The airplane received damage to the left wingtip, left elevator, fuselage lower longeron, and left main landing gear.
Factual narrative
The commercial certificated pilot was practicing touch and go takeoffs and landings under Title 14, CFR Part 91. He said prior to takeoff, the airplane's brakes functioned, but worked "poorly." During the landing roll, he stated that the airplane veered sharply to the right, and he was unable to correct for the deviation using the brakes and rudder. He said the airplane exited the runway to the right, and ground-looped. The airplane received damage to the left wingtip, left elevator, fuselage lower longeron, and left main landing gear.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3404A
- Reported as
- Piper PA-20-135
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 20-1069
- Airframe hours
- 3,007
- Engine
- Lycoming O-290, 135 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Steve Libby
- Registered owner
- Peter Johnson
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 1, 2005
- Departed
- PAMR · Anchorage, CA
- Airport
- PAMR · Merrill Field, runway 25, 4,000 × 100 ft, asphalt
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
- 58
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- January 1, 2005
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 3,750 total · 150 in this make and model · 40 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 340° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 10,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 39 °F, dew point 32 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.92 inHg
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 N3404A · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.