Summary
On December 12, 1994, a Piper PA-18 (N717DR) was involved in an incident near Palmer, AK. All 1 person aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: THE PILOT'S MISJUDGED LANDING FLARE.
On December 12, 1994, at 1330 Alaska standard time, a ski equipped Piper PA-18 airplane, N717DR, collided with terrain during a landing attempt on a lake near the Eureka Lake Lodge. The commercial certificated pilot and registered owner of the airplane, the sole occupant, was not injured and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The pleasure flight was being conducted under 14 CFR Part 91 when the mishap occurred. Visual meteorological conditions reportedly prevailed in the area and there was no flight plan on file.
On the morning of December 14, 1994, the NTSB investigator- in-charge conducted a telephone interview with the pilot.
This incident is documented in NTSB report ANC95LA018. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N717DR.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
THE PILOT'S MISJUDGED LANDING FLARE.
Aircraft Information
Analysis
On December 12, 1994, at 1330 Alaska standard time, a ski equipped Piper PA-18 airplane, N717DR, collided with terrain during a landing attempt on a lake near the Eureka Lake Lodge. The commercial certificated pilot and registered owner of the airplane, the sole occupant, was not injured and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The pleasure flight was being conducted under 14 CFR Part 91 when the mishap occurred. Visual meteorological conditions reportedly prevailed in the area and there was no flight plan on file.
On the morning of December 14, 1994, the NTSB investigator- in-charge conducted a telephone interview with the pilot. The pilot said that he was in the process of repositioning his airplane from his home to the lake and that as a result of the flat light condition, he flared prematurely about 15 feet above the surface. The plane landed hard with resultant damage to both landing gear and the right wing.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# ANC95LA018