- Date
- April 10, 2011, 15:45 local (23:45 UTC)
- Place
- Delta Junction, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N3613MPiper PA-12
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Landing area undershoot
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 12, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- FAA FSDO-01
- FAA report
- 20110410007439A
- Case key
- 78829
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 misjudged altitude while landing in bright sunlight on an airstrip surrounded by snow, resulting in an undershoot and a nose over.
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
According to the pilot, he was practicing takeoffs and landings on a grass airstrip. He said snow had been removed from the center of the grass airstrip, but not the surrounding area. During his approach to land, bright sunlight reflected off the snow that made him lose his depth perception. The airplane touched down short of the runway, nosing over in deep snow. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical problems with the airplane. The airplane received substantial damage to both wings.
Factual narrative
The pilot was practicing takeoffs and landings on a grass airstrip. He said snow had been removed from the center of the grass airstrip, but not the surrounding area. During his approach to land, he said bright sunlight reflected off the snow made him lose his depth perception, and the airplane touched down short of the runway, nosing over in deep snow. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical problems with the airplane. The airplane received substantial damage to both wings.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3613M
- Reported as
- Piper PA-12
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 12-2459
- Airframe hours
- 5,396
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235 SERIES, 115 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Hall Gary L
- Registered owner
- Hall Gary L
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 14, 2010
- Departed
- AK09 · Delta Junction, AK
- Destination
- AK09 · Delta Junction, AK
- Airport
- AK09 · Windsong, runway 15, 2,400 × 75 ft, grass/turf
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
- 61
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 26, 2010
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 3,388 total · 2,146 in this make and model · 3,328 as pilot in command · 4 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 39 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.11 inHg
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 28, 2011, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 149 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 N3613M · 3
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.