- Date
- May 13, 2017, 17:30 local (May 14, 2017, 01:30 UTC)
- Place
- Talkeetna, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N9726NWsk-Pzl Warzawa-Okecie PZL 104 Wilga 80
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 5, 2019
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- FAA Aviation Safety Inspector, FSDO
- FAA report
- 20170513005629A
- Case key
- 95165
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 the landing roll. Contributing to the accident were the pilot's lack of training and experience in the accident make and model airplane.
Findings · 5
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 of a tailwheel-equipped airplane stated that, during the landing roll, the airplane veered slightly left of the runway centerline. To correct for the veer, the pilot applied right rudder, and the airplane subsequently veered right. The pilot was unable to regain directional control, and the airplane continued off the right side of the runway onto soft gravel, which resulted in a rapid right ground loop. The left landing gear leg fractured, and the left wing and elevator impacted the runway surface, which substantially damaged the left aileron and fuselage. The pilot stated that he had no experience flying this model of airplane on wheels. According to the airplane owner, the airplane’s rudder and brake system was unique and could be difficult to operate. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot of a tailwheel-equipped airplane stated that during the landing roll the airplane veered slightly left of the runway centerline. To correct for the veer, the pilot applied right rudder, and the airplane subsequently veered to the right. The pilot was unable to regain directional control, and the airplane continued off the right side of the runway encountering soft gravel which resulted in a rapid right ground loop. The left landing gear leg fractured and the left wing and elevator impacted the runway surface substantially damaging the left aileron and fuselage. The pilot stated that he had no experience flying this model of airplane on wheels. According to the airplane owner, the PZL-104 Wilga's rudder and brake system are unique and can be difficult to operate. The pilot reported no pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9726N
- Reported as
- Wsk-Pzl Warzawa-Okecie PZL 104 Wilga 80
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- CF139510
- Built
- 1980
- Airframe hours
- 658.7
- Engine
- PZL M-14, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Ferry · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 9, 2016
- Departed
- UUO · Willow, AK
- Destination
- TKA · Talkeetna, AK
- Airport
- TKA · Talkeetna, runway 36, 3,500 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Stall warning system
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
- 60
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight engineer, Flight instructor, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 26, 2016
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 10,001 total · 1 in this make and model · 4,059 as pilot in command · 30 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 140° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 4,600 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 48 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.61 inHg
- Observed at
- PATK
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 27, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.3 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.