Piper PA 18A N2791P

Summary

On 7 April 2020 at about 20:30 local time, a Piper PA 18A registered N2791P was involved in an accident near Chickaloon, 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

7 April 2020 at 20:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Chickaloon, Alaska, United States

Coordinates

61.5397, -147.1344

Aircraft

Piper PA 18A

Registration

N2791P

Category

Airplane

Year built

1955

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Girdwood → Chickaloon

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC20CA041

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's selection of unsuitable terrain for landing, which necessitated a go-around, and her subsequent failure to maintain clearance from rising mountainous terrain.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that she was landing the airplane at a remote area of mountainous, snow-covered terrain and that she had selected an area that was slightly uphill for landing. She felt uncomfortable with the final stages of the approach, so she chose to go around. During the go-around, she added full power and started a left turn. The airplane subsequently impacted an area of rising, snow-covered terrain, which resulted in substantial damage to the right wing and fuselage. The pilot added that she should have made another practice approach or two to verify the wind direction and local terrain conditions.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.