Piper PA 20 N7069K

Summary

On 24 December 2013 at about 00:30 local time, a Piper PA 20 registered N7069K was involved in an accident near Platinum, 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

24 December 2013 at 00:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Platinum, Alaska, United States

Nearest airport

Platinum (PTU)

Coordinates

59.0125, -161.8225

Aircraft

Piper PA 20

Registration

N7069K

Category

Airplane

Year built

1950

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Togiak → Platinum

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC14CA013

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during a crosswind landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that he was landing his tailwheel-equipped airplane on a dry, gravel airstrip, which required a correction for a 10 knot right crosswind. He said that during touchdown, a gust of wind picked the airplane up three to four feet, and the airplane drifted left of the centerline. During the second touchdown, the airplane weather-vaned into the wind, and the pilot said that full left rudder had no effect. The airplane continued across the runway and into a ditch, sustaining substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.