Piper PA-16 N5942H
17 March 2013 · Big Lake, Alaska, United States · No injuries
Summary
On 17 March 2013 at about 20:30 local time, a Piper PA-16 registered N5942H, operated by Ylvisaker Robert G, was involved in an accident near Big Lake, 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.
The record
- Date
- at 20:30
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Big Lake, Alaska, United States
- Nearest airport
- Private (PVT)
- Coordinates
- 61.4667, -150.4000
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-16
- Registration
- N5942H
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Ylvisaker Robert G
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Palmer → Big Lake
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- ANC13CA034
People
Nobody was injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Probable cause
The pilot's decision to land on unsuitable terrain.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The pilot was landing his tailwheel-equipped airplane on a 1,400-foot-long, remote airstrip located on a frozen, snow-covered lake. According to the pilot, the surface of the airstrip appeared to be hard, compacted snow with a turn-around at its south end. Before beginning the approach, the pilot determined a touchdown point in the turn-around area to afford maximum use of the landing surface. After touchdown, the main wheels sank into the snow, and the airplane nosed over, which resulted in substantial damage to the rudder, lift struts, and wings. Upon exiting the airplane, the pilot realized that the turn-around area was loose, soft snow that had not been compacted. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Piper PA-16 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 Dec 2013 | Piper PA 16 | San Carlos, California, United States | Cooper Steven | No injuries | - |
| 19 May 2013 | Piper PA-16 | Juneau, Alaska, United States | Holmes Robert A | Minor injuries | - |
| 5 Jun 2013 | Piper PA 16 | Glennallen, Alaska, United States | Jason E. Lobo | No injuries | - |
| 22 Feb 2014 | Piper PA 16 | Scappoose, Oregon, United States | Michael Ronald Dennis | No injuries | - |
| 29 Jul 2012 | Piper PA-16 | Keokuk, Iowa, United States | Willis Clifton L | No injuries | - |
| 10 Jun 2015 | Piper PA 16 | Tollville, Arkansas, United States | Sickel Mason L | No injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 Jul 2013 | De Havilland BEAVER DHC 2 | Thorne Bay, Alaska, United States | Promech Air LLC | Serious injuries | - |
| 5 Sep 2013 | Cessna U206G | McGrath, Alaska, United States | Alaska Skyways, Inc. | Minor injuries | - |
| 26 Mar 2013 | De Havilland DHC-2 MK. I(L20A) | Anchorage, Alaska, United States | Joe Schuster | No injuries | - |
| 9 Sep 2013 | Zenith 701 | Big Lake, Alaska, United States | Whedbee Kenneth Mikel Trustee | Fatal | 1 |
| 16 Feb 2013 | Piper PA-31-350 | Dutch Harbor, Alaska, United States | Grant Aviation Inc | No injuries | - |
| 18 Feb 2013 | Cessna 170B | Skwentna, Alaska, United States | Stone Robert D | Serious injuries | - |