- Date
- December 23, 2013, 15:30 local (Dec 24, 2013, 00:30 UTC)
- Place
- Platinum, AK
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N7069KPiper PA 20
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 5, 2014
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20131224025389A
- Case key
- 88588
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 during a crosswind 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 he was landing his tailwheel-equipped airplane on a dry, gravel airstrip, which required a correction for a 10 knot right crosswind. He said that during touchdown, a gust of wind picked the airplane up three to four feet, and the airplane drifted left of the centerline. During the second touchdown, the airplane weather-vaned into the wind, and the pilot said that full left rudder had no effect. The airplane continued across the runway and into a ditch, sustaining substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that he was landing his tailwheel-equipped airplane on a dry, gravel airstrip, which required a correction for a 10 knot right crosswind. He said that during touchdown, a gust of wind picked the airplane up three to four feet, and the airplane drifted left of the centerline. During the second touchdown, the airplane weather-vaned into the wind, and the pilot said that full left rudder had no effect. The airplane continued across the runway and into a ditch, sustaining substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7069K
- Reported as
- Piper PA 20 (150)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 20-174
- Built
- 1950
- Airframe hours
- 3,642
- Engine
- Lycoming O-290 SERIES, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 7, 2013 · 89 hours before
- Departed
- Togiak, AK
- Destination
- PTU · Platinum, AK
- Airport
- PTU · Platinum, runway 32, 3,300 × 75 ft, 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
- 52
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- December 19, 2013
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 51 total · 51 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 40° at 5 knots, gusting 10
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 25 °F
- Observed at
- PAPM
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 28, 2014, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 7.8 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.