N78456

On June 5, 1999, at 0705 Alaska daylight time, a tundra tire equipped Piper PA-12 airplane, N78456, sustained substantial damage during an emergency landing at the Lake Hood Strip, Anchorage, Alaska. The airline transport pilot and sole passenger were not injured. The airplane was being operated under 14 CFR Part 91 as a Visual Flight Rules (VFR) personal flight. The flight departed Anchorage International Airport, Anchorage, at 0605, for the Alexander River, about 40 miles north of Anchorage. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and no flight plan was filed.

The pilot and passenger spoke with the NTSB investigator-in-charge (IIC) at the accident site at 0715. Both occupants stated that while attempting to land on a gravel bar, the airplane hit hard, bounced, and the pilot aborted the landing. The pilot indicated the winds were about 15 to 20 knots, from the right of the nose. The pilot said that prior to touchdown the airplane developed a high rate of descent, which he attempted to reduce by increasing power. Both occupants said they heard a loud noise during the landing, and then saw the right wheel misaligned about 30 degrees to the right. The pilot flew the airplane to Anchorage, and decided to land on the gravel strip at Lake Hood. During landing, the right main landing gear strut collapsed. The right wingtip struck the ground, damaging the wingtip and right-forward lift-strut.