# NTSB ANC95LA065: Piper PA-18-150, N9299D, Manley Hot Spri, AK, June 5, 1995 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 4, 1995, 17:45 local (Jun 5, 1995, 01:45 UTC) - Place: Manley Hot Spri, AK - Coordinates: 64.650955, -150.899932 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=64.6510&lon=-150.8999&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report November 30, 1995 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 2657 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC95LA065 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/2657/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC95LA065 ## Probable cause THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO CORRECTLY COMPENSATE FOR THE EXISTING WIND CONDITIONS. THE GUSTING WIND CONDITION WAS A FACTOR. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown - compensation for wind conditions - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - weather condition - gusts (contributing factor) - On ground/water collision with object, landing - roll - fuselage,longeron - bent - flt control syst,rudder control - movement restricted - object - tree(s) ## Analysis THE PILOT STATED THAT THE WIND WAS GUSTING AND WHEN SHE WAS 10 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND THE WIND STOPPED. THE AIRPLANE LANDED HARD, TAILWHEEL FIRST, AND BOUNCED INTO THE AIR. UPON TOUCHING DOWN THE SECOND TIME THE AIRPLANE VEERED TO THE RIGHT. SHE APPLIED LEFT RUDDER BUT COULD NOT MOVE THE RUDDER. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE SHOWED THAT THE RIGHT LOWER LONGERON WAS BENT. THIS DISPLACED THE LEFT RUDDER STOP TOWARD THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE AIRPLANE WHICH REDUCED THE LEFT RUDDER'S AMOUNT OF TRAVEL. ## Factual narrative On June 4, 1995, at 1745 Alaska daylight time, a wheel equipped Piper PA-18-150 airplane, N9299D, registered to and operated by the pilot, landed hard and veered off the runway into the trees at Manley Hot Springs, Alaska. The personal flight, operating under 14 CFR Part 91, departed Fairbanks, Alaska, and the destination was Manley Hot Springs. No flight plan was filed and visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured and the airplane was substantially damaged. According to the pilot, the wind was gusting during her final approach and she was planning on making a "wheel landing." When the airplane was 10 feet above the runway's surface, she stated the wind stopped and the airplane hit the ground hard. It bounced into the air and when it touched down a second time it veered to the right. The pilot stated she applied left rudder but it would not move. It felt like it was against the stop or jammed. A subsequent interview between the pilot and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Flight Standards Inspector, revealed that the tail of the airplane hit the ground first, then the main landing gear. According to the FAA Inspector who examined the airplane wreckage, when the tailwheel struck the ground it bent the lower right longeron and shifted the left rudder stop toward the right side of the airplane. This reduced the left rudder's range of travel. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N9299D](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9299D-2019-01-25), registration cancelled 2019-01-25, S/N 18-6606, built 1958 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA-18-150 - Registry model: [Piper PA-18A 150](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-18a-150) (registry code 7101837) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 18-6606 - Airframe hours: 2061 - Engines: LYCOMING O-320 150 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Salalmanchuk, Patricia A. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, April 21, 1995, 42 hours before - Departed: FAI, FAIRBANKS, AK - Destination: MLY, AK - Airport: MLY, Manley Hot Springs, runway 2, 2,900 × 40 ft, gravel ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 40; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine sea, single-engine land; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: front; flight hours: 3,500 total, 450 in this make and model, 3,200 as pilot in command, 50 in the last 90 days, 50 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 20° at 10 knots, gusting 15 - Visibility: 60 statute miles - Temperature: 61 °F ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19950604017929A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19950604017929A), Jun 4, 1995: Piper STCPA18, Manley Hs, AK, Substantial damage. Hard landing in gusty wind. Impact jammed rudder and damaged fuselage. Veered off runway. ## Other investigations on N9299D (3) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB ANC14CA023](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC14CA023), Apr 22, 2014: Piper PA 18A 150 (N9299D), Kenai, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's loss of directional control during takeoff, resulting in a collision with terrain and ground loop. - [NTSB LAX02LA087](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX02LA087), Feb 16, 2002: Piper PA-18-150 (N9299D), Beatty, NV, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot failed to maintain control of the airplane. - [NTSB LAX01LA130](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX01LA130), Mar 29, 2001: Piper PA18-150 (N9299D), Holbrook, AZ, substantial damage. Probable cause: Failure of the rudder lower hinge attach point resulting in a loss of rudder control and steerable tailwheel control. A factor was the crosswind condition. From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.