- Date
- April 15, 2012, 12:45 local (20:45 UTC)
- Place
- Fairbanks, AK
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N7227DPiper PA-22-150
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 28, 2012
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- FAA Fairbanks FSDO
- FAA report
- 20120415007529A
- Case key
- 83407
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 loss of directional control during landing. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's decision not to initiate a go-around.
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 he was landing his tailwheel-equipped airplane on a hard surfaced runway. About 6 inches above the runway, a gust of wind lifted the right wing, the left main landing gear contacted the runway, and the airplane began to turn to the left. The pilot said that he was unable to correct for the turn with rudder, and the airplane ground looped to the left, striking the right wing on the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported no mechanical anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. He stated that the accident could have been prevented had a go-around decision been made at the initial recognition of the wind gust.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that he was landing his tailwheel-equipped airplane on a hard surfaced runway. About 6 inches above the runway, a gust of wind lifted the right wing, the left main landing gear contacted the runway, and the airplane began to turn to the left. He said he was unable to correct for the turn with rudder, and the airplane ground looped to the left, striking the right wing on the ground. The airplane received substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported no mechanical anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. He stated that the accident could have been prevented had a go-around decision been made at the initial recognition of the wind gust.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7227D
- Reported as
- Piper PA-22-150
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 22-5052
- Airframe hours
- 3,831
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320 SERIES, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 17, 2011 · 19 hours before
- Departed
- PAFA · Fairbanks, AK
- Destination
- PAFA · Fairbanks, AK
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- PAFA · Fairbanks International, runway 02R, 6,501 × 100 ft, asphalt
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
- 55
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- December 6, 2011
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 199 total · 41 in this make and model · 123 as pilot in command · 19 in the last 90 days · 7 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 80° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 52 °F, dew point 28 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.76 inHg
- Observed at
- PAFA
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 22, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.2 MB 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 N7227D · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.