Piper PA-20 N5540A
27 September 2009 · Fairbanks, Alaska, United States · No injuries
Summary
On 27 September 2009 at about 03:30 local time, a Piper PA-20 registered N5540A, operated by Rice Wesley R, was involved in an accident near Fairbanks, 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.
The record
- Date
- at 03:30
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Fairbanks, Alaska, United States
- Nearest airport
- Na (NA)
- Coordinates
- 63.9667, -147.2500
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-20
- Registration
- N5540A
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Rice Wesley R
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Fairbanks → Fairbanks
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- ANC09CA107
People
Nobody was injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Probable cause
The student pilot's decision to attempt an off-airport landing and his failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The student pilot reported that he was attempting to land at the short and rough off-airport site in his personal tailwheel-equipped airplane at the conclusion of a Title 14, CFR Part 91 personal flight. He said during the landing roll, the airplane encountered a dip in the surface, and he lost directional control, with the airplane veering to the right, off the airstrip, and nosing over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing and its associated lift struts. The pilot said there were no preaccident mechanical problems with the airplane.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Piper PA-20 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Sep 2009 | Piper PA-20 | Bozeman, Montana, United States | Hutchinson Darrold K | No injuries | - |
| 20 May 2009 | Piper PA-20 | Glendale, Arizona, United States | Frank Klein | No injuries | - |
| 13 Sep 2009 | Piper PA-20 | Herlong, Florida, United States | Pacer N7705K LLC | No injuries | - |
| 2 Sep 2010 | Piper PA-20 | Akhiok, Alaska, United States | Fowler Raymond D | No injuries | - |
| 19 Oct 2008 | Piper PA-20 | Albertville, Alabama, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 3 Aug 2008 | Piper PA-20 | Grass Valley, California, United States | - | No injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 Jun 2009 | Beechcraft V35A | Northway, Alaska, United States | Patigler Gerhard | Fatal | 2 |
| 11 Jul 2009 | Noorduyn UC-64A | Akiachak, Alaska, United States | Renfro Michael W | No injuries | - |
| 13 Jul 2009 | Beechcraft G18S | Yakutat, Alaska, United States | Munich Hans W | No injuries | - |
| 6 Jul 2009 | Cessna A185F | Skwentna, Alaska, United States | Frank R. Bell | No injuries | - |
| 5 Oct 2009 | De Havilland DHC-2 | King Salmon, Alaska, United States | Katmai Air Leasing LLC | No injuries | - |
| 10 Jun 2009 | Harden RV-7 | Elim, Alaska, United States | Harden Bruce D R | Fatal | 2 |