- Date
- August 16, 2016, 12:00 local (20:00 UTC)
- Place
- Anchor Point, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N8097NPiper PA18
- Defining event
- Landing: Miscellaneous/other
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 22, 2016
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20160816014489A
- Case key
- 93861
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 obstacles while landing on a coastal beach.
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
The pilot reported that during landing on a coastal beach, the airplane's left wing struck a driftwood tree branch that protruded from a higher berm. The airplane subsequently spun to the left, which resulted in substantial damage to the elevator and both ailerons. The pilot further reported that he had seen the tree but not the branch on his initial flight over the landing area while looking for debris. The pilot reported that there were no pre impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that during landing on a coastal beach, the airplane's left wing struck a driftwood tree branch that protruded from a higher berm. The airplane subsequently spun to the left, which resulted in substantial damage to the elevator and both ailerons. The pilot further reported that he had seen the tree but not the branch on his initial flight over the landing area while looking for debris. The pilot reported that there were no pre impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8097N
- Reported as
- Piper PA18 (A150)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-8109034
- Built
- 1981
- Airframe hours
- 3,599
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320 A2B, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 1, 2016
- Departed
- N/A · McArthur River, AK
- Destination
- Anchor Point, AK
- Equipment
- None
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 78
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 7, 2015
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 818 total · 314 in this make and model · 818 as pilot in command · 21 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 9,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 61 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.11 inHg
- Observed at
- PAHO, 14 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 12, 2016, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.4 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.