Piper PA-22-150 N7227D

Summary

On 15 April 2012 at about 20:45 local time, a Piper PA-22-150 registered N7227D was involved in an accident near Fairbanks, Alaska, United States. 3 people were 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

15 April 2012 at 20:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Fairbanks, Alaska, United States

Nearest airport

Fairbanks International (PAFA)

Coordinates

64.8153, -147.8564

Aircraft

Piper PA-22-150

Registration

N7227D

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

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

ANC12CA030

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s loss of directional control during landing. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's decision not to initiate a go-around.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that he was landing his tailwheel-equipped airplane on a hard surfaced runway. About 6 inches above the runway, a gust of wind lifted the right wing, the left main landing gear contacted the runway, and the airplane began to turn to the left. The pilot said that he was unable to correct for the turn with rudder, and the airplane ground looped to the left, striking the right wing on the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported no mechanical anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. He stated that the accident could have been prevented had a go-around decision been made at the initial recognition of the wind gust.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.