On March 13, 1997, a Piper PA-16 (registration N5326H) was involved in an aviation accident near Iliamna, AK. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed during the landing flare, which resulted in a stall and subsequent hard landing. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A pilot attempting a landing on a remote frozen lake stalled the aircraft during the flare phase just after crossing the shoreline, leading to a hard impact that caused substantial damage to the airframe.
What happened
The pilot was operating a wheel-equipped airplane with the intention of landing on a remote, frozen lake. During the final approach, the pilot intentionally reduced the aircraft's speed to approximately 2 or 3 miles per hour above the stall speed. As the airplane crossed the edge of the lake and entered the flare phase for landing, it stalled. The subsequent impact was hard, causing substantial damage to the airframe.
The investigation
The primary finding from the operational narrative is that the aircraft stalled during the critical landing flare. This loss of lift occurred shortly after the airplane crossed the shoreline onto the frozen surface. The pilot's decision to fly at such a low airspeed margin directly contributed to the inability to maintain controlled flight during the transition to touchdown.
Findings
The accident resulted in substantial damage to the aircraft structure. The key causal factor was the stall that occurred during the landing flare. Flying too close to the stall speed during the final approach on a remote, unprepared surface left no margin for error, leading to an uncontrollable descent and hard impact.
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed during the landing flare, which resulted in a stall and subsequent hard landing.