KASILOF, AK, USA
N7431D
Piper PA-22/20
The pilot was conducting touch-and-go operations on a frozen lake adjacent to his property. A small frozen mound of dirt was located at the approach end of the lake. The pilot indicated that he was concerned about stopping on the frozen surface of the lake, and his approach path to the lake was a little low. The right main landing gear struck the mound of dirt before touchdown and was folded back against the fuselage. The airplane then contacted the surface of the lake and received damage to the right main landing gear, propeller, and the spar and outboard ribs of the right wing.
On October 26, 1996, about 1400 Alaska daylight time, a wheel equipped Piper PA-22/20, N7431D, collided with terrain at a frozen lake near Kasilof, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) local area personal flight when the accident occurred. The airplane, registered to and operated by the pilot sustained substantial damage. The certificated private pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. On October 31, 1996, at 0900, the pilot reported in a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC) that he was conducting touch and go operations on a frozen lake adjacent to his property. The lake is oriented on a north/south direction and he was landing toward the north. It is about 1,200 feet long and about 40 feet wide. A small frozen mound of dirt is located at the approach end of the lake. The pilot indicated that he was concerned about stopping on the frozen surface of the lake and his approach path to the lake was a little low. The right main landing gear struck the mound of dirt before touchdown and was folded back against the fuselage. The airplane then contacted the surface of the lake and received damage to the right main landing gear, propeller, and the spar and outboard ribs of the right wing.
the pilot's misjudgment of distance and altitude on final approach to land, which resulted in an undershoot and collision with a dirt bank before reaching the proper touchdown point. A factor related to the accident was: the proximity of the frozen dirt bank at the approach end of the intended point of landing.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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