ANC98LA118

The pilot reported he was landing his tail wheel equipped airplane on a hard surfaced runway with a right crosswind. During the landing roll, he inadvertently ground looped the airplane to the right, collapsing the left main landing gear, and striking the left wing on the runway. The pilot noted there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane

On August 8, 1998, about 1000 Alaska daylight time, a wheel equipped Piper PA-18A airplane, N2FD, sustained substantial damage while landing at the Dillingham Airport, Dillingham, Alaska. The private pilot and the one passenger aboard were not injured. The local, personal flight, operated in visual meteorological conditions. A VFR flight plan was filed. The flight departed the Dillingham Airport about 0820.

During a telephone interview with the NTSB investigator-in-charge on August 8, the pilot related he was landing the airplane on runway 19, with a crosswind from the right. He said he asked for a wind check from the FAA Flight Service Station Specialist while on base leg for runway 19, and received a report of 260 degrees at 7 knots. The pilot said the touchdown was made in a 3 point attitude, and the landing roll was uneventful, until the airplane suddenly ground looped to the right, and went off the right side of the runway. He said the left wing collided with the runway during the ground loop, and the left main landing gear collapsed. He also reported there was no indication of any preaccident mechanical difficulties with the airplane.