- Date
- May 17, 2008, 10:12 local (18:12 UTC)
- Place
- Anchorage, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N1912APiper PA-18
- Defining event
- Landing: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 30, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 20080517835349A
- Case key
- 68038
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 a crosswind during landing. Contributing to the accident was the crosswind and an inadvertent ground loop.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that he was landing on runway 25, a dry paved runway, which required a correction for a slight left crosswind. He said that during touchdown, the airplane's left wing lifted, and he attempted to abort the landing by adding full engine power. The airplane's right wing struck the ground, and the airplane ground looped to the left, then nosed down. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings, fuselage, and empennage. Winds at the time of the accident were reported to be 190 degrees at 4 knots. The pilot noted in his written report to the NTSB that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that he was landing on runway 25, a dry paved runway, which required a correction for a slight left crosswind. He said that during touchdown, the airplane's left wing lifted, and he attempted to abort the landing by adding full engine power. The airplane's right wing struck the ground, and the airplane ground looped to the left, then nosed down. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings, fuselage, and empennage. Winds at the time of the accident were reported to be 190 degrees at 4 knots. The pilot noted in his written report to the NTSB that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1912A
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-1748
- Airframe hours
- 3,255
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- William G. Roth
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 1, 2008
- Departed
- Z22 · Willow, AK
- Destination
- MRI · Anchorage, AK
- Airport
- MRI · 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
- 48
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- August 1, 2006
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 798 total · 651 in this make and model · 716 as pilot in command · 9 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 190° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 48 °F, dew point 25 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.95 inHg
- Observed at
- MRI
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 N1912A · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.