Summary
On April 15, 2012, a Piper PA-22-150 (N7227D) was involved in an incident near Fairbanks, AK. All 3 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 loss of directional control during landing. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's decision not to initiate a go-around.
The pilot reported that he was landing his tailwheel-equipped airplane on a hard surfaced runway. About 6 inches above the runway, a gust of wind lifted the right wing, the left main landing gear contacted the runway, and the airplane began to turn to the left. He said he was unable to correct for the turn with rudder, and the airplane ground looped to the left, striking the right wing on the ground. The airplane received substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported no mechanical anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. He stated that the accident could have been prevented had a go-around decision been made at the initial recognition of the wind gust.
This incident is documented in NTSB report ANC12CA030. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N7227D.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The pilot’s loss of directional control during landing. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's decision not to initiate a go-around.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Current)
Analysis
The pilot reported that he was landing his tailwheel-equipped airplane on a hard surfaced runway. About 6 inches above the runway, a gust of wind lifted the right wing, the left main landing gear contacted the runway, and the airplane began to turn to the left. He said he was unable to correct for the turn with rudder, and the airplane ground looped to the left, striking the right wing on the ground. The airplane received substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported no mechanical anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. He stated that the accident could have been prevented had a go-around decision been made at the initial recognition of the wind gust.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# ANC12CA030