- Date
- April 7, 2020, 12:30 local (20:30 UTC)
- Place
- Chickaloon, AK
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N2791PPiper PA 18A
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR go-around: Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 29, 2020
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20200407003829A
- Case key
- 101157
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 selection of unsuitable terrain for landing, which necessitated a go-around, and her subsequent failure to maintain clearance from rising mountainous terrain.
Findings · 4
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 she was landing the airplane at a remote area of mountainous, snow-covered terrain and that she had selected an area that was slightly uphill for landing. She felt uncomfortable with the final stages of the approach, so she chose to go around. During the go-around, she added full power and started a left turn. The airplane subsequently impacted an area of rising, snow-covered terrain, which resulted in substantial damage to the right wing and fuselage. The pilot added that she should have made another practice approach or two to verify the wind direction and local terrain conditions.
Factual narrative
The pilot was landing a wheel/ski-equipped airplane at a remote off-airport site in an area of mountainous, snow-covered terrain, and reported that she selected an area that was slightly uphill. During the final stages of the approach she felt uncomfortable with the approach, so she elected to go-around. During the go-around, she added full power and started a left turn. The airplane subsequently collided with an area of rising, snow-covered terrain, sustaining substantial damage to the right wing, and fuselage. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical problems with the airplane. In addition, she noted that the weather about the time of the accident was, clear sky with light and variable wind. The pilot added that she should have made another practice approach or two to verify the wind direction and local terrain conditions.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2791P
- Reported as
- Piper PA 18A (150)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-4426
- Built
- 1955
- Airframe hours
- 3,600
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-A2B, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 1, 2019
- Departed
- AQY · Girdwood, AK
- Destination
- Chickaloon, AK
- Equipment
- Handheld GPS
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
- 40
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 3, 2019
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 400 total · 350 in this make and model · 400 as pilot in command · 25 in the last 90 days · 14 in the last 30 days · 1.7 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 30 °F, dew point 1 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.10 inHg
- Observed at
- PAAQ, 56 nm away
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 30, 2020, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.0 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 N2791P · 5
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.