Accident Overview
On June 29, 2008, about 1650 Alaska daylight time, a tundra tire-equipped Piper PA-18 airplane, registration N2581P, sustained substantial damage when it collided with a stand of trees during an attempted go-around while landing at a private airstrip about 6 miles east of Wasilla, Alaska. The private pilot died at the scene, and the one passenger sustained minor injuries. The flight was operating under visual flight rules (VFR) as a personal flight per 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. According to family members, the flight originated from the accident airstrip about 1630.
Witness and Passenger Accounts
A witness who was a family friend of the pilot reported that the flight was intended to show scenery. About 20 minutes after departure, the airplane returned, circled once, and began an approach to the south with a crosswind correction. As the airplane passed the approach end, the approach became unstable and drifted right toward a stand of trees. Just before touchdown, engine power increased significantly, the nose pitched up, and the airplane began a steep climb. The right wing struck a 75-foot tree, pivoting the airplane right, and it descended nose first into dense woods. The witness noted gusty winds and a windsock indicating rapid direction changes just before the accident.
The passenger stated that the flight encountered intermittent turbulence. As the airplane neared the airstrip, the pilot said turbulence might worsen near the strip. On approach, as the airplane descended below the tree line, the left wing lifted and the airplane drifted right. The pilot applied full power, full left aileron, and aft elevator, but the right wing and fuselage collided with a large tree, and the airplane descended nose down into the forest.
Pilot Information
The pilot held a private pilot certificate with an airplane single-engine land rating. His most recent third-class medical certificate was issued on May 8, 2006, with a limitation requiring corrective lenses. According to FAA records, he reported 1,000 total flight hours, with 15 hours in the previous 6 months.
Aircraft Information
The airplane had accumulated 4,864.9 total flight hours at the time of the accident. The last annual inspection of airframe and engine was on October 19, 2007, about 10.7 flight hours before the accident.
Weather Conditions
The closest official weather observation station in Wasilla, about 8 miles west, reported at 1636: wind 260 degrees at 9 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, broken clouds at 11,000 feet, temperature 55°F, dew point 41°F, altimeter 30.19 inHg. The witness reported gusty winds at the accident site.
Wreckage Examination
The NTSB and FAA examined the wreckage on scene. All major components were found in hilly, tree-covered terrain adjacent to the airstrip. The wreckage site was about 500 feet from the approach end of the 1,800-foot sod strip and 150 feet west of centerline. The airstrip was surrounded by 75- to 100-foot birch trees. The airplane came to rest nose down, suspended by broken trees. Tree sections with sharp cuts at 45-degree angles consistent with propeller strikes were found. The forward cabin, engine cowling, and windshield brace were crushed. An 8-inch birch tree penetrated the windscreen and struck the pilot. Both wings had leading edge crushing. The empennage remained attached. Flight control continuity was established from control surfaces to impact damage points. Both propeller blades had leading edge gouging, S-bending, torsional twisting, and aft bending. No preaccident mechanical problems were found with the engine or flight controls.
Medical Examination
A postmortem examination attributed the pilot's death to blunt force traumatic injuries. Toxicological tests by the FAA's Civil Aeromedical Institute were negative for alcohol and drugs. Irbesartan, a prescription medication for high blood pressure, was detected in the pilot's urine and blood.