N2796M

Substantial
None

Piper PA-12 S/N: 12-1195

Accident Details

Date
Tuesday, September 29, 1998
NTSB Number
ANC98LA166
Location
TYONEK, AK
Event ID
20001211X10996
Coordinates
61.080402, -151.160064
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
Highest Injury
None
Fatalities
0
Serious Injuries
0
Minor Injuries
0
Uninjured
1
Total Aboard
1

Probable Cause and Findings

The aircraft's left wheel encountering a hole as the pilot taxied from landing and his inadequate compensation for wind conditions. Contributing factors were the rough terrain and gusty wind condition.

Aircraft Information

Registration
N2796M
Make
PIPER
Serial Number
12-1195
Engine Type
Reciprocating
Year Built
1946
Model / ICAO
PA-12 PA12
Aircraft Type
Fixed Wing Single Engine
No. of Engines
1

Registered Owner (Historical)

Name
SALE REPORTED
Address
XXX
Status
Deregistered
City
OKLAHOMA CITY
State / Zip Code
OK 73125
Country
United States

Analysis

On September 29, 1998, about 1330 Alaska daylight time, a tundra tire equipped PA-12 airplane, N2796M, sustained substantial damage when it nosed over at an off airport landing site. The private pilot was not injured. The airplane was owned and operated by the pilot, and the flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91 as a personal flight. The flight originated from Anchorage, Alaska, for the accident site. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and no flight plan was filed.

The pilot told the NTSB investigator-in-charge during an interview on October 19, and wrote in his NTSB Pilot / Operator report, that he was returning to the site to pick up meat from a hunting trip. He stated that he had flown into the site several times already, and had orange flags in the trees for wind indicators. The pilot indicated that he landed uphill on the 900 feet long grass field, with a left crosswind. As he was taxiing to the end, the left wheel dipped into a hole, and the tail came up with a wind gust. He added power to attempt to keep the tail down, but the propeller struck the ground and the plane nosed over.

Data Source

Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# ANC98LA166