KOTZEBUE, AK, USA
N2598P
Piper PA-18
The pilot stated that he encountered a gust of wind from the right side just before touchdown. He landed the airplane hard on the left ski and the left ski broke off. The airplane's left wing dragged the snow and the airplane veered left. The right ski dug into the snow and the right wing dragged the snow damaging the wing, wing struts, and fuselage.
On April 26, 1996, at 1700 Alaska daylight time, a ski equipped Piper PA-18 airplane, N2598P, registered to and operated by the pilot, landed hard and dragged the left wing followed by the right wing during landing at a field site, 60 miles north of Kotzebue, Alaska, located at geographic coordinates 68 degrees, 13 minutes north, and 160 degrees, 57 minutes west. The business flight, operating under 14 CFR Part 91 for the purposes of hunt guiding, departed a field site on the Noatak River and the destination was the location of the accident site. No flight plan was filed and visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The certificated commercial pilot and his passenger were not injured and the airplane was substantially damaged. During a telephone conversation with the pilot on April 27, 1996, he stated that he encountered a gust of wind during landing and the airplane landed hard on the left ski. The left ski broke off and the left wing dragged the snow. This caused the airplane to veer left and the right ski dug into the snow. The right wing dragged the snow damaging the wing, wing struts, and fuselage.
The pilot's inadequate compensation for the wind conditions. A factor in the accident was the gusty wind conditions.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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