Piper PA-18-150 N2664A

Summary

On 31 August 1991 at about 18:00 local time, a Piper PA-18-150 registered N2664A, operated by Bruce V. Zmuda, was involved in an accident near Gold King, Alaska, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

31 August 1991 at 18:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Gold King, Alaska, United States

Nearest airport

Jap Hills Airstrip

Coordinates

64.6695, -147.0402

Aircraft

Piper PA-18-150

Registration

N2664A

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Bruce V. Zmuda

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

North Pole → Jap Hills

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC91LA140

Nobody was injured.

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN A PROPER DESCENT RATE. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE RISING TERRAIN AND THE TAILWIND CONDITION.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT STATED THAT AN AIRPLANE ON THE GROUND REPORTED THE WIND TO BE FROM THE NORTH AT 8 KNOTS. DURING THE FINAL APPROACH, THE AIRPLANE BEGAN TO SINK AT A HIGHER THAN DESIRED SINK RATE. THE PILOT APPLIED POWER, BUT THE AIRPLANE BOUNCED THREE TIMES. ON THE THIRD BOUNCE HE ADDED FULL POWER AND ATTEMPTED A GO AROUND INTO RISING TERRAIN. THE TAIL OF THE AIRPLANE STRUCK SOME BRUSH AND THEN THE LEFT WING STRUCK A TREE AND THE PILOT ABORTED THE GO AROUND. THEY WERE LANDING TO THE NORTH INTO RISING TERRAIN AND THE AIRPLANE'S ANGLE OF CLIMB WAS EQUAL TO THE ANGLE OF THE RISING TERRAIN. THE PILOT STATED THAT ONCE ON THE GROUND HE NOTICED THAT THE WIND WAS FROM THE SOUTH.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.