- Date
- May 22, 2010, 11:30 local (19:30 UTC)
- Place
- Chugiak, AK
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N2581MPiper PA-12
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR pattern final: Collision during takeoff/land
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 21, 2010
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration (Operations)
- FAA report
- 20100522005799A
- Case key
- 76107
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 a proper glide path while landing, which resulted in an in-flight collision with a tree, and the collapse of the main landing gear during touchdown.
Findings · 2
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 was landing at a remote airstrip surrounded by trees at the completion of a Title 14, CFR Part 91 personal flight. The pilot stated that during the approach, just before touchdown, he allowed the airplane to drift left of his intended approach path, and the left main landing gear wheel struck a tree, which yawed the airplane to the left. During touchdown, the right main landing gear collapsed, followed by the collapse of the left main landing gear. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings, fuselage and empennage. The pilot stated that there were no preaccident mechanical problems with the airplane.
Factual narrative
The private pilot was landing at a remote airstrip surrounded by trees at the completion of a Title 14, CFR Part 91 personal flight. The pilot stated that during the approach, just before touchdown, he allowed the airplane to drift left of his intended approach path, and the left main landing gear wheel struck a tree, which yawed the airplane to the left. During touchdown, the right main landing gear collapsed, followed by the collapse of the left main landing gear. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings, fuselage and empennage. The pilot stated that there were no preaccident mechanical problems with the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2581M
- Reported as
- Piper PA-12
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 12-1049
- Airframe hours
- 2,407
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320 SERIES, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Richard N. Sutliff
- Registered owner
- Page Spencer
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 20, 2010 · 2 hours before
- Departed
- MRI · Anchorage, AK
- Destination
- A13 · Chugiak, AK
- Airport
- A13 · Bold Airport, runway 32, 1,000 × 15 ft, gravel
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
- 62
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 2,100 total · 8 in this make and model · 2,000 as pilot in command · 10 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 48 °F, dew point 34 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.04 inHg
- Observed at
- PAAQ, 15 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 6, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 580 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.
Other investigations on N2581M · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.