Casualties unknown

Pilot Reports Landing Gear Damage During Landing on Unimproved Ridge Top (N9255D)

Chickaloon, AK, US

On August 5, 2002, a Piper PA-18A-150 (registration N9255D) was involved in an aviation accident near Chickaloon, AK. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's selection of unsuitable terrain for landing, which resulted in the airplane impacting rough terrain. A factor contributing to the accident was the rough/uneven terrain condition. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.

Sourcesthe U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archivePrimary reportUpdated 2026-06-10Data APIEditorial standards

A pilot aborted a landing on an unimproved ridge top after finding it rougher than expected, resulting in damage to the right main landing gear and substantial damage to main landing gear fuselage attachment points.

Incident Description

A pilot reported that during a local area flight, he decided to land on an unimproved ridge top. The landing area was selected by the pilot as the intended touchdown point.

Sequence of Events

After touching down, the pilot perceived that the surface of the ridge top was rougher than he had anticipated. In response, he attempted to abort the landing. During the abort maneuver, the right main landing gear came into contact with elevated terrain, resulting in damage to that gear. Subsequently, the pilot stated he was forced to continue the landing due to the circumstances.

Damage

As a consequence of the impact with the terrain and the subsequent landing, the main landing gear fuselage attachment points sustained substantial damage. The extent of damage was limited to the landing gear system and its attachment structure.

Investigation report by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive. Original record: https://carol.ntsb.gov/event/20020814X01380. This page is a structured re-presentation; facts and quotes are in the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), United States.