Piper PA-18 N645RF

Summary

On 7 August 2004 at about 16:00 local time, a Piper PA-18 registered N645RF, operated by Bishop, Gary LEE, was involved in an accident near Palmer, Alaska, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

7 August 2004 at 16:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Palmer, Alaska, United States

Coordinates

61.7000, -148.5833

Aircraft

Piper PA-18

Registration

N645RF

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Bishop, Gary LEE

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Palmer → Palmer

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC04LA091

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's misjudged distance/altitude during the final approach phase of landing, which resulted in an undershoot and subsequent collision with terrain.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The commercial certificated pilot was landing a tundra tire-equipped airplane on a remote airstrip. The airstrip was oriented north/south, and was about 500 feet long. The pilot said he was landing toward the south, and collided with the edge of the airstrip, which is also the bank of a creek. He indicated the landing gear was torn off, and the airplane came to rest on its belly-mounted auxiliary fuel tank. The engine and propeller were damaged when the airplane nosed down on the airstrip. After the airplane was recovered and inspected by a mechanic, the pilot notified the NTSB investigator-in-charge that the airplane received structural damage to the aft gusset of the right main landing gear attach point.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.