- Date
- July 27, 2019, 14:40 local (22:40 UTC)
- Place
- Tok, AK
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N82253Piper PA18
- Defining event
- Landing: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 13, 2020
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20190727012639A
- Case key
- 100099
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 during landing and his excessive rudder input, which resulted in a runway excursion and landing gear collapse.
Findings · 5
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 with a gusting crosswind, the airplane veered right. He applied left rudder, and the airplane veered left and then exited the runway onto gravel. The right main landing gear collapsed, and the right wing impacted the ground. 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 tundra tire and tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, during landing in a gusting crosswind, the airplane veered to the right. He applied left rudder and the airplane veered to the left and exited the runway. During the runway excursion in the gravel next to the runway, the right main landing gear collapsed, and the right wing impacted the ground. 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. The pilot reported that the wind was from 180° at 5 knots, gusting to 7 knots. The pilot landed the airplane on runway 07.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N82253
- Reported as
- Piper PA18 (150)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-7909082
- Built
- 1979
- Airframe hours
- 642
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-A2B, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Dirt Strip Dirtbags LLC
- Registered owner
- Dirt Strip Dirtbags LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 10, 2019
- Departed
- FAI · Fairbanks, AK
- Destination
- 6K8 · Tok, AK
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- 6K8 · Tok Junction, runway 07, 2,509 × 50 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Onboard weather, Satellite tracking device
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
- 57
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- January 30, 2019
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 1,860 total · 13 in this make and model · 1,690 as pilot in command · 38 in the last 90 days · 26 in the last 30 days · 6 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 5 knots, gusting 7
- Visibility
- 12 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 24, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.4 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.