- Date
- July 10, 1998, 10:15 local (18:15 UTC)
- Place
- Palmer, AK
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N1364PPiper PA-18
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 30, 2000
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19980710016389A
- Case key
- 43062
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 failure to maintain the proper glide path to the intended landing area and his failure to maintain flying airspeed resulting in a stall.
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 private pilot/owner of a tailwheel equipped airplane, and a second pilot, a certificated flight instructor, were conducting a local area flight for the purpose of a biennial flight review. The pilot/owner was performing a simulated forced landing with the engine at idle power on a small road. During the landing approach, the pilot slightly overshot the intended landing area, and made a steep turn back toward the road. The second pilot added engine power, but the airplane stalled about 25 feet above the ground. The airplane descended to the ground, and hit hard on the left main landing gear. The airplane received damage to the left main gear, the left wing and lift strut, and the propeller.
Factual narrative
On July 10, 1998, about 1015 Alaska daylight time, a tundra tire equipped Piper PA-18 airplane, N1364P, sustained substantial damage during an off-airport landing, about 8 miles east of Palmer, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) local area flight for the purpose of a biennial flight review. The airplane was registered to, and operated by, the first pilot/owner. The first pilot, holder of a private pilot certificate, was seated in the front seat. The second pilot, a certificated flight instructor, was seated in the rear seat. Neither pilot was injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight originated from the first pilot's airstrip in Palmer, about 0845.
During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), on July 10, 1998, at 1320, the pilot/owner reported he was landing on a small road adjacent to the Knik River. He was performing a simulated forced landing with the engine at idle power. During the landing approach, the pilot slightly overshot the intended landing area, and made a steep turn back toward the road. The second pilot added engine power, but the airplane stalled about 25 feet above the ground. The airplane descended to the ground, and hit hard on the left main landing gear. The airplane received damage to the left main gear, the left wing and lift strut, and the propeller.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1364P
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-8265
- Airframe hours
- 7,194
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-A2B, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- John A. Vinduska
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 23, 1998 · 20 hours before
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
- 43
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 378 total · 45 in this make and model · 350 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 6,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.