N8096V

On June 16, 2001, about 1925 Alaska daylight time, a Piper PA-32R airplane, N8096V, sustained substantial damage during a landing at the Egegik Airport, Egegik, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) cross-country personal flight when the accident occurred. The airplane was operated by the pilot. The private certificated pilot, and the sole passenger, were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight originated at the King Salmon Airport, King Salmon, Alaska, about 1900.

During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), on June 17, 2001, the pilot reported that he was landing on runway 29. He said the sun was in his eyes, and he landed about 75 feet beyond the runway threshold. Upon touchdown, the main landing gear dug into soft sand, and the airplane received damage to the left main landing gear, the left aileron and flap, and the left wing. The pilot said the airplane did not have any mechanical problems before landing.

Runway 29 at the Egegik Airport is 3,000 feet long, by 75 feet wide, and has a gravel surface. The pilot said that a postaccident examination of the runway surface revealed the first 100 feet of the runway consisted of soft, uncompacted dry sand.