# NTSB ANC99LA003: Piper PA-12, N98900, Anchorage, AK, October 10, 1998 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: October 9, 1998, 20:40 local (Oct 10, 1998, 04:40 UTC) - Place: Anchorage, AK - Coordinates: 61.159778, -149.990371 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=61.1598&lon=-149.9904&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report February 16, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 45236 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC99LA003 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/45236/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC99LA003 ## Probable cause The pilot's misjudgment of a proper touchdown point. Factors associated with the accident were darkness, and the pilot's inadequate preflight planning. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight collision with terrain/water, go-around (vfr) - light condition - night (contributing factor) - preflight planning/preparation - inadequate, pilot in command (contributing factor) - proper touchdown point - misjudged, pilot in command (cause) - On ground/water collision with object, go-around (vfr) - object - aircraft parked/standing - object - other ## Analysis The private pilot reported that he was returning to Lake Hood after winterizing his remote cabin. He stated that his departure from Snider Lake was later than he had anticipated, requiring him to land at night at Lake Hood. The pilot reported that he made a straight in approach, landing to the south, utilizing the south water lane. He said that just prior to touchdown, he realized that he was about 500 feet to the right of the intended touchdown area, and over a gravel aircraft parking area. The pilot said that he applied full power in an attempt to go-around, but the airplane continued to settle onto the parking area. The airplane's right wing struck a parked Piper PA-18, and a set of stored floats. The airplane pivoted to the right, and the left wing struck the ground. The airplane's wings and fuselage sustained substantial damage. . ## Factual narrative On October 9, 1998, about 2040 Alaska daylight time, a float equipped Piper PA-12 airplane, N98900, sustained substantial damage while landing at Lake Hood, Anchorage, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) personal flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The solo private pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated about 1930 from Snider Lake, located about 28 miles southwest of Talkeetna, Alaska. During an on-scene interview with the National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge on October 9, the pilot reported that he was returning to Lake Hood after winterizing his remote cabin. He stated that his departure from Snider Lake was later than he had anticipated, requiring him to land at night at Lake Hood. The pilot reported that he made a straight in approach, landing to the south, utilizing the south water lane. He said that just prior to touchdown, he realized that he was about 500 feet to the right of the intended touchdown area, and over a gravel aircraft parking area. The pilot said that he applied full power in an attempt to go-around, but the airplane continued to settle onto the parking area. The airplane's right wing struck a parked Piper PA-18, and a set of stored floats. The airplane pivoted to the right, and the left wing struck the ground. The airplane's wings and fuselage sustained substantial damage. The pilot noted that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N98900](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N98900), registered now, S/N 12-246 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA-12 - Registry model: [Piper PA-12](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-12) (registry code 7101202) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-235 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-235-series) (registry code 41505, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 12-246 - Airframe hours: 2054 - Engines: Lycoming O-320-A2B 150 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Glenn L. Bohn - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, April 23, 1998, 41 hours before - Departed: TKA, TALKEETNA, AK - Airport: LHD, Lake Hood Seaplane, runway 18, 1,930 × 200 ft, water ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 59; private; airplane ratings: single-engine sea, single-engine land; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: front; flight hours: 2,070 total, 2,012 in this make and model, 35 in the last 90 days, 7 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night/dark - Wind: 170° at 4 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 30 °F, dew point 28 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: ANC ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19981009028929A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19981009028929A), Oct 9, 1998: Piper PA12, Anchorage, AK, Substantial damage. (-23)During an attempted night landing at lake Hood seaplane base, the pilot flying a PA-12 seaplane mistook a land airplane parking area as the water lane.… ## Other investigations on N98900 (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB ANC77DAG52](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC77DAG52), Feb 26, 1977: Piper PA-12 (N98900), Talkeetna, AK, substantial damage From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.