Summary
On June 24, 2007, a Piper PA-20 (N5540A) was involved in an incident near Nenana, AK. All 2 people 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 failure to maintain directional control during landing, which resulted in a ground-loop and main landing gear collapse. Factors contributing to the accident were the ground-loop and landing gear collapse.
On June 24, 2007, about 1530 Alaska daylight time, a tailwheel-equipped Piper PA-20 airplane, N5540A, sustained substantial damage during landing at the Nenana Municipal Airport, Nenana, Alaska. The airplane was being operated by the pilot as a visual flight rules (VFR) personal local flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The pilot and sole passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flight departed the Fairbanks International Airport, Fairbanks, Alaska, about 1445.
In a written statement to the NTSB dated July 10, the pilot reported that when he reached the destination airport, the airplane touched down on the runway centerline, and veered sharply to the right.
This incident is documented in NTSB report ANC07LA055. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N5540A.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing, which resulted in a ground-loop and main landing gear collapse. Factors contributing to the accident were the ground-loop and landing gear collapse.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Historical)
Analysis
On June 24, 2007, about 1530 Alaska daylight time, a tailwheel-equipped Piper PA-20 airplane, N5540A, sustained substantial damage during landing at the Nenana Municipal Airport, Nenana, Alaska. The airplane was being operated by the pilot as a visual flight rules (VFR) personal local flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The pilot and sole passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flight departed the Fairbanks International Airport, Fairbanks, Alaska, about 1445.
In a written statement to the NTSB dated July 10, the pilot reported that when he reached the destination airport, the airplane touched down on the runway centerline, and veered sharply to the right. He indicated that he applied left rudder and power, but the airplane continued to the right, and ground-looped. According to the pilot, the left main landing gear collapsed, and the left wing struck the ground. He reported that there were no known mechanical anomalies with the airplane prior to the accident, and that the left wing, and left horizontal stabilizer, were damaged during the accident. The pilot wrote that faster reactions after touchdown might have prevented the accident.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# ANC07LA055