- Date
- June 7, 2009, 10:00 local (18:00 UTC)
- Place
- Tyonek, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N82057Piper PA-18-150
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR go-around: Collision during takeoff/land
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 10, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- FAA Anchorage, FSDO
- Case key
- 74019
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.
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 solo private pilot aborted a landing on a beach after a personal cross-country flight. During the landing, the airplane sustained substantial damage when it struck debris and impacted terrain. In a written statement the pilot said that he didn't like the feel of the terrain during the landing, and added power to abort the landing. He said that the airplane struck debris during the aborted landing. The pilot said there were no known mechanical problems with the airplane prior to the accident, and that the propeller and left main landing gear was damaged during the accident. He further stated that he should have looked over the landing area better prior to landing and had a better exit plan.
Factual narrative
The solo private pilot made a personal cross-country flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91. During an aborted landing on a beach, the airplane sustained substantial damage when it struck debris and impacted terrain. In a written statement the pilot said he didn't like the feel of the terrain during the landing, and added power to abort the landing. He said the airplane struck debris during the aborted landing. The pilot said there were no known mechanical problems with the airplane prior to the accident, and that the propeller and left main landing gear was damaged during the accident. He further stated that he should have looked over the landing area better prior to landing, and had a better exit plan. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge the mechanic who repaired the airplane, said he also repaired/replaced two nose ribs in the left wing's leading edge, and the left wingtip bow. He also replaced the damaged left lift strut at the owner's request.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N82057
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18-150
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-7809120
- Airframe hours
- 2,778
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320 SERIES, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Hester John T
- Registered owner
- Hester John T
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 30, 2008
- Departed
- Z41 · Lake Hood, AK
- Destination
- Tyonek, 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
- 56
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 18, 2008
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 842 total · 737 in this make and model · 768 as pilot in command · 26 in the last 90 days · 12 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 240° at 5 knots, gusting 10
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 27, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 606 KB in all.
Other investigations on N82057 · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.