EKWOK, AK, USA
N1195A
Piper PA-18
The private certificated pilot was landing on the tundra next to his fishing lodge. The pilot said he intended to land into the prevailing wind that was blowing about 22 knots, with gusts to 30 knots. As he touched down, he realized the wind direction was actually a left quartering headwind. During the landing roll, the wind lifted the left wing. He said he applied full left aileron and full left rudder, and applied engine power to control the airplane. The right wing contacted the tundra and the airplane veered to the right. The left main landing gear collapsed, and the left wing struck the ground. The pilot said the left wing aft spar was broken, and the wing was deformed aft.
On June 5, 1999, about 1200 Alaska daylight time, a tundra tire equipped Piper PA-18 airplane, N1195A, sustained substantial damage while landing at a fishing lodge, about 2.5 miles southwest of Ekwok, Alaska, about latitude 59 degrees, 20 minutes north, and longitude 157 degrees, 30 minutes west. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) cross-country business flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The airplane was operated by the pilot. The private certificated pilot, and the sole passenger, were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight originated at the Dillingham airport, Dillingham, Alaska, about 1130. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), on April 7, 2000, the pilot reported he was flying from Dillingham to Ekwok with a fishing guide employee of the lodge. The pilot said he utilized the airplane only for his company transportation, and not for fishing clients. He said he was landing on the tundra next to the Big Bend Lodge. He said he intended to land into the prevailing wind that was blowing about 22 knots, with gusts to 30 knots. As he touched down, he realized the wind direction was actually a left quartering headwind. During the landing roll, the wind lifted the left wing. He said he applied full left aileron and full left rudder, and applied engine power to control the airplane. The right wing contacted the tundra and the airplane veered to the right. The left main landing gear collapsed, and the left wing struck the ground. The pilot said the left wing aft spar was broken, and the wing was deformed aft. The pilot said he did not report the accident at the time of the accident, but recently decided to make a report.
The pilot's inadequate compensation for crosswind conditions. Factors in the accident were a crosswind, and an inadvertent ground loop.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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