- Date
- September 6, 2017, 11:30 local (19:30 UTC)
- Place
- Kotzebue, AK
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N4088MPiper PA 12
- Defining event
- Landing: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 15, 2017
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20170906017649A
- Case key
- 95981
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 directional control while landing on an unimproved airstrip in gusting wind conditions.
Findings · 4
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, while landing uphill on an unimproved gravel airstrip, the tailwheel-equipped airplane landed "smooth." He added that, while taxiing to the crest of the hill, a wind gust forced the airplane to become airborne. The airplane then drifted to the left, and he attempted to correct with full right aileron and maximum power. The airplane continued to bank left until "the wind forced the tail in a counter clockwise motion," which resulted in the airplane landing on the right main landing gear (MLG). Subsequently, the right MLG collapsed, and the right wing and right horizontal stabilizer struck the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing lift strut and the right horizontal stabilizer and elevator. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported the weather at the time of the accident to be wind from 360° at 20 knots, gusting to 25 knots. The pilot landed on about a 360° heading.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that, while landing uphill, on an unimproved gravel airstrip, the tailwheel-equipped airplane landed "smooth." He added that, while taxing to the crest of the hill, a gust of wind forced the airplane to become airborne. The airplane then drifted to the left and he attempted to correct with full right aileron and maximum power. The airplane continued to bank left until "the wind forced the tail in a counter clockwise motion", which resulted in the airplane landing on the right main landing gear. Subsequently, the right main landing gear collapsed; and the right wing and right horizontal stabilizer struck the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing lift strut and the right horizontal stabilizer and elevator. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported the weather at the time of the accident to be, wind from 360° at 20 knots, gusting to 25 knots. The pilot landed on about a 360° heading.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4088M
- Reported as
- Piper PA 12 (NO SERIES)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 12-3003S
- Built
- 1946
- Airframe hours
- 4,900.7
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 135
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · August 30, 2017
- Departed
- OTZ · Kotzebue, AK
- Destination
- Kotzebue, AK
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Equipment
- Handheld GPS
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
- 29
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 13, 2017
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 696.7 total · 282 in this make and model · 583.5 as pilot in command · 202 in the last 90 days · 103 in the last 30 days · 7.9 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 130° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 4,900 ft broken
- Temperature
- 50 °F, dew point 37 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.37 inHg
- Observed at
- PAIK, 22 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 13, 2017, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.5 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.
Other investigations on N4088M · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.