- Date
- July 2, 1997, 08:15 local (16:15 UTC)
- Place
- Nenana, AK
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N5582CPiper PA-18
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 13, 1998
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19970702018529A
- Case key
- 3083
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 of the airplane, which resulted in an inadvertent ground loop and a collapsed main landing gear. His lack of experience in tailwheel airplanes was a related factor.
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 was landing a tundra tire and tailwheel equipped airplane on an asphalt surfaced runway for the purpose of practicing touch-and-go landings. During the landing roll, the airplane ground looped to the right. The left main gear collapsed, and the left wing struck the ground. The pilot indicated he had accrued 172.4 hours of total pilot experience with about 18 hours in tailwheel airplanes. The airplane received damage to the left wing, left landing gear, left elevator, and the fuselage, forward of the tail wheel. Also, the pilot reported calm wind conditions.
Factual narrative
On July 2, 1997, about 0815 Alaska daylight time, a tundra tire equipped Piper PA-18, N5582C, crashed during landing at the Nenana Municipal Airport, Nenana, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) cross-country government flight under Title 14 CFR Part 91 when the accident occurred. The airplane, operated by the Alaska State Troopers, Fairbanks, Alaska, sustained substantial damage. The certificated private pilot, and the sole passenger, were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. A VFR flight plan was filed. The flight originated at the Fairbanks International Airport, Fairbanks, about 0730.
On July 2, 1997, the pilot reported in a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), he was planning to practice touch and go landings. During the initial landing roll on runway 03, an asphalt covered runway, the airplane ground looped to the right. The left main gear collapsed, and the left wing struck the ground. The pilot indicated he had accrued 172.4 hours of total pilot experience with about 18 hours in tailwheel airplanes.
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspectors, Fairbanks Flight Standards District Office (FSDO), reported the airplane received damage to the left wing, left landing gear, left elevator, and the fuselage, forward of the tail wheel.
The passenger reported the weather conditions as clear; visibility, 10 miles in haze; temperature, 75 degrees F; and calm wind conditions.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5582C
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-8473
- Airframe hours
- 6,847
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 91
- Operator
- Alaska State Troopers
- Registered owner
- Alaska Dept. Public Safety
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · June 18, 1997 · 14 hours before
- Departed
- FAI · Fairbanks, AK
- Destination
- ENN
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- ENN · Nenana, runway 3, 5,000 × 100 ft, asphalt
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
- 46
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 172 total · 11 in this make and model · 59 as pilot in command · 10 in the last 90 days · 8 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °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 N5582C · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.