- Date
- August 29, 2022, 18:30 local (Aug 30, 2022, 02:30 UTC)
- Place
- Palmer, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N1129Piper PA-18-135
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20220829015269A
- Case key
- 105910
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 airplane during the landing roll, which resulted in a ground loop and impact with terrain.
Findings · 1
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, during the landing roll on a remote gravel bar, the airplane veered to the right. He applied left rudder but was unable to correct and the airplane ground looped to the right, resulting in substantial damage to the left wing, left aileron and elevator. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1129
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18-135
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-4022
- Built
- 1954
- Airframe hours
- 4,390
- Engine
- Lycoming O- 320 SERIES, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- John Houghton
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 9, 2022 · 30 hours before
- Departed
- PAWS · Wasilla, 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
- 50
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 13, 2022
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 100 total · 39 in this make and model · 29 as pilot in command · 35 in the last 90 days · 16 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 48 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.53 inHg
- Observed at
- PAAQ, 22 nm away
- METAR
- PAAQ 300253Z AUTO 18003KT 10SM CLR 18/09 A2953 RMK AO2 SLP001 T01780089 53006 TSNO
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 11, 2022, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.8 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.