ANC93LA092

NTSB accident investigation · Piper PA-18-150 · Skwentna, AK · June 15, 1993

Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
June 15, 1993, 13:00 local (21:00 UTC)
Place
Skwentna, AK
Injuries
1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N2571HPiper PA-18-150
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report June 30, 1994
Report
Approved by Office Director
NTSB office
Alaska Regional Office
FAA report
19930615047069A
Case key
2360

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 in command selected unsuitable terrain on which to land on. A factor in the accident was the rough/uneven, soft terrain.

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.

Nose overLanding - roll
Terrain condition - rough/unevenFactor
Unsuitable terrain or takeoff/landing/taxi area - selectedPilot in commandCause
Terrain condition - softFactor

Analysis

The airplane was owned and operated by a hunting lodge. The pilot in command reported that he landed at the remote sod strip in order to make improvements to a moose hunting camp located nearby. This was the pilot's first flight into the strip this season. During the landing rollout, the plane traversed a soft humus area and nosed over onto its back.

Factual narrative

On June 15, 1993, at 1330 Alaska daylight time, a wheel equipped Piper PA 18 150 airplane, N2571H, owned and operated by Wolf Trail Lodge, Inc., crashed during the landing rollout on a remote sod surfaced landing strip situated near a moose hunting camp. The commercial certificated pilot in command, the sole occupant, was not injured and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The business flight was being conducted under 14 CFR Part 91 at the time of the mishap for the purpose of making improvements to the camp. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a VFR flight plan had not been filed.

The pilot in command reported to the NTSB investigator in charge by telephone on June 18, 1993, that this was his first seasonal landing at the strip, which he estimated to be approximately 750 feet in length. He elected to land on the first portion of the strip and reported that it was, "too rough". During the rollout, the plane traversed a soft area of humus and nosed over onto its back.

Aircraft

Registration
N2571H
Reported as
Piper PA-18-150
Category
Airplane
Serial number
18-009200
Airframe hours
1,370
Engine
Lycoming O-320, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Business · Part 91
Operator
Wolf Trail Lodge, Inc.
Registered owner
Wolf Trail Lodge, Inc.
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · March 9, 1993 · 1,320 hours before
Departed
Z41 · Anchorage, AK
Airport
Sod Moose Hunting Strip

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
39
Certificate
Commercial
Airplane ratings
Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
Medical
Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
Seat
Left
Flight hours
2,600 total · 925 in this make and model · 2,600 as pilot in command · 90 in the last 90 days · 35 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
270° at 5 knots
Visibility
50 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
64 °F

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 N2571H · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.