- Date
- April 4, 1998, 13:00 local (17:00 UTC)
- Place
- Talkeetna, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N4320ZPiper PA-18
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 15, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19980404006019A
- Case key
- 3128
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's selection of unsuitable terrain for landing. Factors in the accident were snow covered terrain, and a hidden obstruction.
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 certificated commercial pilot was landing a ski equipped, tailwheel airplane on a remote, snow covered river gravel bar. During the landing roll, the landing gear skis struck an object buried in the snow. The pilot added power, and departed without stopping. The pilot did not observe what type of object was in the snow. Upon return to the departure airport, the pilot discovered damage to the fuselage at the right main landing gear attach point.
Factual narrative
On April 4, 1998, about 1300 Alaska standard time, a ski equipped Piper PA-18 airplane, N4320Z, sustained substantial damage while landing on a remote river gravel bar, about 40 miles northeast of Talkeetna, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) local area personal flight when the accident occurred. The airplane is registered to, and operated by the pilot. The certificated commercial pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. A VFR flight plan was filed. The flight originated at the Talkeetna Airport, about 1200.
During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), on April 7, 1998, at 1320, the pilot reported he was landing on a snow covered gravel bar. During the landing roll, the landing gear skis struck an object buried in the snow. The pilot added power, and departed without stopping. The pilot did not observe what type of object was in the snow. The pilot returned to Talkeetna, and discovered damage to the fuselage at the right main landing gear attach point.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4320Z
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-8633
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Max C. Schwab
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · February 1, 1998
- Departed
- TKA · Talkeetna, AK
- Flight plan
- VFR
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
- 48
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 4,500 total · 300 in this make and model · 30 in the last 90 days · 20 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 45° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 30 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 30 °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 N4320Z · 3
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.