- Date
- July 16, 1995, 22:00 local (Jul 17, 1995, 06:00 UTC)
- Place
- Anchorage, AK
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N2941MPiper PA-12
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 14, 1996
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19950716018589A
- Case key
- 2687
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
Failure of the pilot to maintain directional control, which resulted in an inadvertent ground loop/swerve.
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 he was landing the airplane in a light crosswind. The airplane began to ground loop, and he attempted to abort the landing by executing a go-around. The airplane continued to ground loop, the right main landing gear collapsed, and the right wing struck the ground.
Factual narrative
On July 16, 1995, at 2200 Alaska daylight time, a wheel equipped Piper PA-12 airplane, N2941M, registered to and operated by the pilot, ground looped after an aborted landing at Merrill Field, Anchorage, Alaska. The personal flight, operating under 14 CFR Part 91, departed Merrill Field for a local flight. No flight plan was filed and visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The private certificated pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured and the airplane was substantially damaged.
According to the pilot, he was landing the airplane in a light crosswind and the touchdown was firm. The airplane started to ground loop and he attempted to abort the landing by initiating a go around. The airplane continued to ground loop and the right main landing gear collapsed and the right wing struck the ground.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2941M
- Reported as
- Piper PA-12
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 12-1338
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A2A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Ralph V. Ertz Jr.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 6, 1994 · 12 hours before
- Departed
- MRI
- Airport
- MRI · Merrill Field, runway 24, 4,000 × 100 ft, asphalt
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 34
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 96 total · 21 in this make and model · 30 as pilot in command · 6 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 360° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 50 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 14,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 61 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MRI
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.