On September 1, 1993, a Piper PA-18 (registration N4402Z) operated by Taylor, Cecil W. was involved in an aviation accident near Squirrel River, AK. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during a bounced landing and subsequent go-around, which resulted in the right wing striking the ground and a hard nose impact, likely due to gusty wind conditions. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
The pilot bounced on touchdown while landing with gusty left quartering headwind and initiated a go-around. The right wing struck the ground, causing the aircraft to spin and hit hard on its nose.
What happened
The pilot reported that during the landing phase, the airplane experienced a bounce upon initial contact with the runway surface at Ridge Airport. In response to the bounce, the pilot applied additional power to execute a go-around maneuver.
During this transition, the right wing of the aircraft dropped significantly and struck the ground. The impact caused the airplane to rotate approximately 90 degrees to the right before coming to rest after hitting hard on its nose gear.
The pilot stated that the landing was being conducted with an approximate 10-knot wind gusting to 15 knots from the left quartering headwind direction.
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during a bounced landing and subsequent go-around, which resulted in the right wing striking the ground and a hard nose impact, likely due to gusty wind conditions.
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