- Date
- January 31, 2010, 16:00 local (20:00 UTC)
- Place
- Skwentna, AK
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N4568HPiper PA-17
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR pattern final: Collision during takeoff/land
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 28, 2010
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- FAA, Anchorage FSDO
- Case key
- 75327
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 decision to make a low-altitude approach to land over trees in gusting winds, which resulted in an in-flight collision with a tree and a loss of control.
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 reported that he was on a personal flight and was attempting to land on a frozen lake. While on final approach to land, he said the airplane encountered a wind gust and that the left wing struck the top of a tree. The airplane descended and collided with terrain short of the intended landing site. The pilot stated that there were no preaccident mechanical problems with the airplane.
Factual narrative
The private pilot reported that he was on a personal flight and was attempting to land on a frozen lake. While on final approach to land, he said the airplane encountered a wind gust and that the left wing struck the top of a tree. The airplane descended and collided with terrain short of the intended landing site. The pilot stated that there were no preaccident mechanical problems with the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4568H
- Reported as
- Piper PA-17
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15-342
- Engine
- Cont Motor C90, 90 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Ben Knapp
- Registered owner
- Knapp Alan L
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- na · Skwentna, AK
- Destination
- na · Skwentna, AK
- Flight plan
- Unknown
- Airport
- na · na, runway 36, ice
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
- 21
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 471 total · 31 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 8, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.1 MB in all.