- Date
- February 27, 2009, 13:00 local (21:00 UTC)
- Place
- Fairbanks, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N3578ZPiper PA-18-150
- Defining event
- Taxi: Landing gear collapse
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 28, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20090227025139A
- Case key
- 73673
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 unsuitable terrain for landing, which resulted in the main landing gear collapsing during taxi.
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 private pilot said he landed the ski-equipped airplane on a snow-covered area, but due to the rough terrain the left main landing gear collapsed during taxi. An inspection of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed damage to the left main landing gear attachment to the fuselage that required reinforcement of the fuselage, and replacement of the attachment. The pilot said there were no known mechanical problems with the airplane prior to the accident. In a written statement to the NTSB, the pilot said he should have chosen a better operating area.
Factual narrative
The private pilot was doing an aerial wolf hunt under Title 14, CFR Part 91. He said he landed the ski equipped airplane on a snow-covered area, but due to the rough terrain, the left main landing gear collapsed during taxi after landing. An inspection of the airplane by an FAA inspector revealed damage to the left main landing gear attachment to the fuselage that required reinforcement of the fuselage, and replacement of the attachment. The pilot said there were no known mechanical problems with the airplane prior to the accident. In a written statement to the NTSB, the pilot said he should have chosen a better operating area.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3578Z
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18-150
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-7368
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320 SERIES, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Nance Gary L
- Registered owner
- Nance Gary L
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- Fairbanks, AK
- Destination
- Fairbanks, 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
- 47
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 6,000 total · 5,000 in this make and model · 3,800 as pilot in command · 150 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 19 °F
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 1, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 610 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.