- Date
- May 29, 2016, 10:00 local (18:00 UTC)
- Place
- Shulin Lake, AK
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N6966DPiper PA 18
- Defining event
- Landing: Collision during takeoff/land
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 27, 2016
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20160529025309A
- Case key
- 93297
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 clearance from trees during final approach.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
According to the pilot, on short final during landing, he thought that he had cleared the trees on the approach end of the private airstrip. He reported that he aimed for his landing spot, but the propeller struck a tree and the airplane impacted the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the both wings and the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical anomalies or malfunctions during the flight with any portion of the airplane that would have prevented normal flight operations.
Factual narrative
According to the pilot, on short final during landing, he thought that he had cleared the trees on the approach end of the private airstrip. He reported that he aimed for his landing spot, but the propeller struck a tree and the airplane impacted the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the both wings and the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical anomalies or malfunctions during the flight with any portion of the airplane that would have prevented normal flight operations.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6966D
- Reported as
- Piper PA 18 (A-150)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-5547
- Built
- 1957
- Airframe hours
- 5,862
- Engine
- Lycoming 0-360-A4P, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Ak Ac LLC
- Registered owner
- Ak Ac LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 1, 2015
- Departed
- Anchorage, AK
- Destination
- Shulin Lake, AK
- Equipment
- Handheld GPS
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 67
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 11, 2015
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 837 total · 275 in this make and model · 567 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 300° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 57 °F, dew point 41 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.94 inHg
- Observed at
- ANC, 61 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 22, 2016, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.1 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.