Piper PA 18 N8560C

Summary

On 13 July 2017 at about 00:30 local time, a Piper PA 18 registered N8560C was involved in an accident near Denali, 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

13 July 2017 at 00:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Denali, Alaska, United States

Coordinates

63.5875, -147.9886

Aircraft

Piper PA 18

Registration

N8560C

Category

Airplane

Year built

1953

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Denali

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

GAA17CA408

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control while landing on a narrow, unimproved airstrip in gusting wind conditions.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, while landing on the narrow, unimproved airstrip in gusting wind conditions, the airplane drifted right of center, and he was unable to recover. Subsequently, the right wing impacted trees off the right side of the unimproved airstrip. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing and empennage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. An automated weather observation system about 26 nautical miles from the accident site reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 010° at 9 knots, gusting to 15 knots. The pilot reported weather conditions as good other than gusting wind when entering and in the river valley.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.