- Date
- July 16, 1994, 09:30 local (17:30 UTC)
- Place
- Talkeetna, AK
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N6066DPiper PA-20
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 9, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19940716018649A
- Case key
- 2524
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 misjudged clearance from a bush.
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.
Analysis
The pilot stated that he was landing the airplane as close to the east end of the airstrip as possible to avoid the rough west end. During the landing flare, the airplane's left main gear struck a bush near the airstrip's threshold. The airplane veered to the left and then collapsed the right gear. The airplane stopped on the airstrip after turning back to the right.
Factual narrative
On July 16, 1994, at 0930 Alaska daylight time, a wheel equipped Piper PA-20 airplane, N6066D, registered to and operated by the pilot, struck a bush upon landing on the High Lake Lodge airstrip, located 40 miles northeast of Talkeetna, Alaska. The personal flight, operating under 14 CFR Part 91, departed Merrill Field, Anchorage, Alaska, and the destination was the accident site. A visual flight rules flight plan was filed and visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The airplane received substantial damage and the Private Certificated Pilot and his two passengers were not injured.
According to the pilot, he was landing east to west and struck a small bush on the east end of the airstrip. The airplane veered and the right main landing gear departed the airplane. The pilot stated he was landing as close to the east end of the airstrip to avoid the rough west end.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6066D
- Reported as
- Piper PA-20
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 7102210
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Daily, John F.
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 15, 1993 · 180 hours before
- Departed
- MRI · Anchorage, AK
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- High Lake Lodge Airstrip, runway 27, 2,500 × 50 ft, dirt
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
- 36
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 860 total · 550 in this make and model · 820 as pilot in command · 30 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days · 2 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 N6066D · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.