Summary
On February 27, 2009, a Piper PA-18-150 (N3578Z) was involved in an incident near Fairbanks, 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 selection of unsuitable terrain for landing, which resulted in the main landing gear collapsing during taxi.
The private pilot was doing an aerial wolf hunt under Title 14, CFR Part 91. He said he landed the ski equipped airplane on a snow-covered area, but due to the rough terrain, the left main landing gear collapsed during taxi after landing. An inspection of the airplane by an FAA inspector revealed damage to the left main landing gear attachment to the fuselage that required reinforcement of the fuselage, and replacement of the attachment. The pilot said there were no known mechanical problems with the airplane prior to the accident. In a written statement to the NTSB, the pilot said he should have chosen a better operating area.
This incident is documented in NTSB report ANC09CA033. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N3578Z.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The pilot's selection of unsuitable terrain for landing, which resulted in the main landing gear collapsing during taxi.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Current)
Analysis
The private pilot was doing an aerial wolf hunt under Title 14, CFR Part 91. He said he landed the ski equipped airplane on a snow-covered area, but due to the rough terrain, the left main landing gear collapsed during taxi after landing. An inspection of the airplane by an FAA inspector revealed damage to the left main landing gear attachment to the fuselage that required reinforcement of the fuselage, and replacement of the attachment. The pilot said there were no known mechanical problems with the airplane prior to the accident. In a written statement to the NTSB, the pilot said he should have chosen a better operating area.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# ANC09CA033