On May 2, 1999, a Piper PA-14 (registration N5402H) operated by John P. Bast was involved in an aviation accident near Talkeetna, AK. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's inadequate compensation for the wind conditions, and an inadvertent ground loop. A factor in the accident was a quartering tailwind. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive; 1 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
A tailwheel-equipped airplane ground looped during landing on runway 36 after the pilot reported a gust of wind. The right wing struck the runway, causing damage to its outboard end.
Incident Details
A certificated private pilot was landing a tailwheel-equipped airplane on runway 36. After touchdown, as the airplane was slowing to taxi speed, the pilot reported that a gust of wind caused the airplane to ground loop. The nose of the airplane veered to the left, and the right wing struck the runway surface, resulting in damage to the outboard end of the wing. The pilot stated that the wind was from 240 degrees at 10 knots at the time of the incident.
Pilot Statement
The pilot attributed the ground loop to a gust of wind. No other factors were mentioned in the source. The aircraft's specific type, registration, and other details were not provided in the report.