- Date
- May 14, 2012, 11:30 local (19:30 UTC)
- Place
- Talkeetna, AK
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N7257DPiper PA-22-150
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 15, 2012
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- FAA FSDO-03
- FAA report
- 20120514010849A
- Case key
- 83657
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 directional control of the tailwheel-equipped airplane during landing, which resulted in a ground loop. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor's failure to adequately monitor the 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 flight instructor was conducting an airplane and local area familiarization flight with the commercial pilot. The commercial pilot was landing the airplane when he lost directional control of the tailwheel-equipped airplane, which resulted in a ground loop. During the ground loop, the airplane’s left wing struck the ground, and the main landing gear collapsed. Neither pilot reported any preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The commercial pilot, seated in the left seat, reported that he lost directional control of the tailwheel-equipped airplane while landing, resulting in a ground loop. The flight instructor, seated in the right seat, was providing an aircraft and local area familiarization flight. During the ground loop the airplane’s left wing struck the ground, and the main landing gear collapsed. The airplane received substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. Neither pilot reported any preaccident mechanical issues with the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7257D
- Reported as
- Piper PA-22-150
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 22-5084
- Airframe hours
- 2,300
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320 SERIES, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Alaska Floats and Ski Inc., doing business as Alaska Ski and Floats
- Registered owner
- Alaska Floats and Ski Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 12, 2012
- Departed
- PATK · Talkeetna, AK
- Destination
- PATK · Talkeetna, AK
- Airport
- PATK · Talkeetna, runway 36, 3,500 × 75 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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 29
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 13, 2012
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 1,450 total · 10 in this make and model · 2 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 27
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 29, 2012
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 419 total · 3 in this make and model · 406 as pilot in command · 16 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 8, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 6.3 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 N7257D · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.