- Date
- June 16, 2012, 05:30 local (13:30 UTC)
- Place
- Willow, AK
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N1203APiper PA-18
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 4, 2012
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20120616012699A
- Case key
- 84024
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 decision to land on an unsuitable landing surface into bright sunlight, which resulted in a loss of control.
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 a tailwheel-equipped airplane on a rough and uneven, off-airport site into bright sunlight. Upon landing, the airplane bounced, the pilot lost control, and the airplane impacted terrain. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings. The pilot indicated there were no preaccident anomalies with the airplane.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that he was landing a tailwheel-equipped airplane on a rough and uneven, off-airport site, in bright sunlight. Upon landing he bounced, lost control, and impacted terrain. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings. The pilot indicated there were no preaccident anomalies with the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1203A
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-811
- Airframe hours
- 5,109
- Engine
- Lycoming O-290 SERIES, 140 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 1, 2011
- Departed
- LHD · Anchorage, AK
- Destination
- Willow, AK
- Flight plan
- Unknown
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 82
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 14, 2011
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 15,000 total · 10,000 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 50 statute miles
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 27, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 782 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.