- Date
- August 8, 1996, 13:00 local (21:00 UTC)
- Place
- Arctic Village, AK
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N9730PPiper PA-18
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 23, 1997
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19960808028259A
- Case key
- 2877
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 airplane's low airspeed during final approach, and the pilot's delayed remedial action in correcting the low airspeed condition.
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 reported he allowed the airspeed to decay while on short final approach to a gravel bar. He said he applied power, but did so too late, and the airplane touched down hard before the gravel bar. The airplane subsequently nosed over and slid onto the gravel bar.
Factual narrative
On August 8, 1996, about 1300 Alaska daylight time, a Piper PA-18 airplane, N9730P, sustained substantial damage while landing at an off airport site approximately 45 miles northwest of Arctic Village, Alaska. The private pilot and sole passenger aboard were not injured. The personal, 14 CFR Part 91 flight operated in visual meteorological conditions without a flight plan. The flight originated at Arctic Village, Alaska, about 1215.
During a telephone conversation with the NTSB investigator-in-charge on August 16, the pilot related that he allowed the airplane's airspeed to become too slow while on short final approach to a gravel bar. He said he added power, but was too late to keep the airplane from sinking and landing hard and short of his intended touchdown point. The airplane traveled a short distance and nosed over.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9730P
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-7609007
- Airframe hours
- 1,919
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-A2B, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Jerry D. Sanders
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 12, 1996 · 11 hours before
- Departed
- ARC · Arctic Village, AK
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
- 50
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 1,741 total · 1,602 in this make and model · 1,684 as pilot in command · 14 in the last 90 days · 8 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 60 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- 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.
Other investigations on N9730P · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.