- Date
- October 1, 2010, 17:30 local (Oct 2, 2010, 01:30 UTC)
- Place
- Chena Hot Springs, AK
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N4166MPiper PA-12
- Defining event
- Landing: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 16, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- FAA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20101001049469A
- Case key
- 77477
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 the wind conditions during landing, which resulted in a loss of directional control and collision with trees.
Findings · 4
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 reported that he was landing the tailwheel-equipped airplane on a gravel-covered runway in a left crosswind. He stated that during touchdown he used insufficient rudder and the airplane veered to the left. He added power to correct the situation and abort the landing, but the airplane's right wing contacted trees and it pivoted to the right. The airplane continued to track right, exited the gravel runway, and came to rest at the base of an embankment. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing assembly and empennage. The pilot noted that there were no preimpact mechanical anomalies with the airplane.
Factual narrative
The private pilot reported he was landing the tailwheel-equipped airplane on a gravel-covered runway in a left crosswind. He said that he used insufficient rudder on touchdown, and that shortly thereafter the airplane "curved" to the left. He stated he added power to correct the situation and abort the landing, but the airplane's right wing contacted trees and brush "well below flying speed" and pivoted to the right. The airplane continued to track right, exited the gravel runway, and came to rest at the base of an embankment. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing assembly and empennage. The pilot noted that there were no mechanical anomalies with the airplane during the time frame of the accident. The airplane was operated as a personal flight under the provisions of Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations Part 91, when the accident occurred.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4166M
- Reported as
- Piper PA-12
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 12-3065
- Airframe hours
- 3,083
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320 SERIES, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Woolace James L
- Registered owner
- Woolace James L
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 28, 2010 · 54 hours before
- Departed
- North Pole, AK
- Destination
- AK13 · Chena Hot Springs, AK
- Airport
- AK13 · Chena Hot Springs, runway 08, 3,000 × 60 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
- 66
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- October 4, 2004
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 5,500 total · 1,400 in this make and model · 3,500 as pilot in command · 35 in the last 90 days · 16 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 30° at 5 knots, gusting 10
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 8,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 45 °F
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 8, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 763 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 N4166M · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.