- Date
- October 9, 2011, 16:00 local (Oct 10, 2011, 00:00 UTC)
- Place
- Skwentna, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N124GSPiper PA-18
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Miscellaneous/other
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 16, 2012
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- FAA Anchorage FSDO
- FAA report
- 20111010026949A
- Case key
- 82068
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 clearance from a tree during an off-airport 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 pilot reported that, just prior to landing at an off-airport site, he was distracted by sunlight reflecting off a nearby river. As the main landing gear touched down, the right wing hit a tree root, and the rear wing spar sustained substantial damage. The pilot indicated that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane. He stated that the accident could have been prevented had he landed the opposite direction because there were no obstacles on that approach.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that just prior to landing at an off-airport site, he was distracted by sunlight reflecting off a nearby river. As the main landing gear touched down, the right wing hit a tree root and the rear wing spar sustained substantial damage. The pilot indicated that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane. He stated that the accident could have been prevented had he landed the opposite direction, because there were no obstacles on that approach.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N124GS
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 5287
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320 SERIES, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- TKA · Talkeetna, AK
- Destination
- Skwentna, AK
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- runway 09, 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
- 59
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 6, 2011
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 6,296 total · 1,300 in this make and model · 120 in the last 90 days · 35 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 350° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 40 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 45 °F, dew point 41 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.54 inHg
- Observed at
- pasw
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 10, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 655 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.