What happened
The aircraft was occupied by two individuals in a tandem seating arrangement. The front seat was occupied by a 42-year-old student pilot and owner of the aircraft. The rear seat was occupied by a 41-year-old private pilot, who was also a career police officer for the Anchorage Police Force. Although the student pilot controlled the flight controls, the private pilot in the rear seat held technical command authority due to his rating. Under FAA regulations, the private pilot is considered the Pilot in Command (PIC) for regulatory purposes, which defers the need for immediate FAA enforcement action against the student pilot for carrying a passenger without proper certification.
The incident occurred after the aircraft landed. The student pilot reported experiencing a slight crosswind on final approach. Upon touchdown, the aircraft ground looped. As a result of this loss of directional control, the aircraft swerved and dragged one of its wings along the ground during taxiing. The student pilot's report was brief, citing only the crosswind conditions and the subsequent ground loop as the cause of the wing contact.
The investigation
The investigation revealed significant administrative failures by the PIC. The PIC failed to properly complete his medical information documentation. Additionally, he did not maintain his biennial flight review status in compliance with regulations. The PIC also failed to submit the required NTSB Form 6120.1 (Accident/Incident Report) and did not respond to numerous requests for further information regarding the accident.
The PIC's total flight time was reported as 210 hours. Of this total, only two hours were credited to the specific type of aircraft involved in the accident. This low level of experience on the specific make and model likely contributed to the difficulty in controlling the aircraft during the landing roll.