Piper PA-18 N5773D

Summary

On 5 September 2009 at about 03:00 local time, a Piper PA-18 registered N5773D, operated by Jeffrey W. Croll, was involved in an accident near Fairbanks, 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

5 September 2009 at 03:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Fairbanks, Alaska, United States

Nearest airport

Gold King Creek Airport (AK7)

Coordinates

64.9925, -147.9230

Aircraft

Piper PA-18

Registration

N5773D

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Jeffrey W. Croll

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Fairbanks → Fairbanks

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC09CA096

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s decision to land on unsuitable terrain, which resulted in a loss of control and a collision with trees.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The private pilot reported he was landing his tailwheel-equipped airplane on a soft, rough and uneven gravel runway at the conclusion of a local personal flight operated under Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. He said immediately upon touchdown, the airplane veered to the right, and the right wing struck trees, which pivoted the airplane 180 degrees to the right. The left wing struck the ground and sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical problems with the airplane. In his written report to the NTSB the pilot noted that the accident might have been avoided if he had landed on the first part of the airstrip where the runway was wider.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.