Piper PA-18-180 N91134

Summary

On 17 August 2011 at about 04:00 local time, a Piper PA-18-180 registered N91134, operated by Erik F. Hursh, was involved in an accident near Valdez, Alaska, United States. One person was 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

17 August 2011 at 04:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Valdez, Alaska, United States

Coordinates

60.9392, -145.9556

Aircraft

Piper PA-18-180

Registration

N91134

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Erik F. Hursh

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Valdez → Valdez

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC11CA081

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain the proper approach path, which resulted in a runway undershoot.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot said he was attempting to land a tailwheel-equipped airplane at an off-airport site, which was surrounded by higher terrain on all sides. Before beginning his approach, the pilot determined the wind conditions and then planned an approach into a 10-knot headwind. He said that, while on final approach to the site, he "side-slipped" the airplane to steepen the approach, and a sudden wind shift caused the airplane to descend faster than anticipated. He was unable to arrest the descent, and the airplane's main landing gear wheels collided with a mound about 150 feet short of the intended touchdown point. The airplane bounced as the pilot added engine power to cushion the landing, and as it touched down again, the main landing gear collapsed. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.