- Date
- September 22, 1985, 20:00 local (Sep 23, 1985, 04:00 UTC)
- Place
- Feather River, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N7440KPiper PA-20
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19850922046989A
- Case key
- 4570
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Loss of control - on ground/water
Weather condition - crosswindFactor
Weather condition - gustsFactor
Wind information - inadequateCause
Compensation for wind conditions - improperCause
Directional control - not maintainedCause
Nose over
Improper use of procedureFactor
Lack of total experienceFactor
Analysis
While landing in gusty surface wind conditions the pilot lost control of he airplane and turned over.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7440K
- Reported as
- Piper PA-20
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 20-351
- Airframe hours
- 2,327
- Engine
- Lycoming O-290-2, 125 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- David Brian Lemaster
- Registered owner
- Craig Wolter
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 2, 1985 · 13 hours before
- Departed
- OME · Nome, AK
- Destination
- 3Z1 · Feather River, AK
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- 3Z1 · Feather River, runway 13, 1,650 × 40 ft, gravel
N7440KRegistration cancelled Mar 16, 2018 · Piper PA-20Airframe modelPiper PA-20Engine modelLycoming 0-290 series
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
- 32
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Expired
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 178 total · 81 in this make and model · 119 as pilot in command · 64 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 335° at 15 knots, gusting 35
- Visibility
- 30 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 50 °F, dew point 36 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
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 N7440K · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.
NTSB ANC05CA091Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportNome, AKThe pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions during the landing roll, which resulted in the collapse of the main landing gear, and a nose over. A factor associated with the accident was a crosswind.NTSB ANC69D0030Accident · Minor injuriesClosedNome, AK