- Date
- December 18, 2017, 13:00 local (22:00 UTC)
- Place
- Yentna, AK
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N4805ZPiper PA22
- Defining event
- Landing: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 27, 2018
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20171218023259A
- Case key
- 96515
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 selection of unsuitable terrain for landing, which resulted in a loss of directional control and subsequent nose-over.
Findings · 6
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 of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, while landing on an unimproved snow-covered airstrip, the left main tire dug into snow, and the airplane veered left. Subsequently, the airplane sank in the softer snow off the left side of the airstrip and nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, while landing on an unimproved snow-covered airstrip, the left main tire dug into snow and the airplane veered left. Subsequently, the airplane sank in the softer snow off the left side of the airstrip and nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4805Z
- Reported as
- Piper PA22 (108)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 22-8372
- Built
- 1961
- Airframe hours
- 1,583.5
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235 SERIES, 108 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 8, 2017
- Departed
- PAQ · Palmer, AK
- Destination
- 0AK2 · Yentna, AK
- Airport
- 0AK2 · Yentna Bend Strip, runway 3, 1,500 × 50 ft, snow
- Equipment
- None
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
- 27
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 28, 2017
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 87 total · 2 in this make and model · 60 as pilot in command · 5 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- -0 °F, dew point -6 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.18 inHg
- Observed at
- PATK, 39 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 14, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.2 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.