No fatalities

27 Sep 2009: PIPER PA-20 — RICE WESLEY R — Fairbanks, AK

Fairbanks, AK, United States

On 27 Sep 2009, a PIPER PA-20 operated by RICE WESLEY R was involved in an aviation accident near Fairbanks, AK. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The student pilot's decision to attempt an off-airport landing and his failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

A student pilot reported losing directional control during a landing roll at a short, rough off-airport site, causing the tailwheel-equipped airplane to veer off the airstrip and nose over. Substantial damage occurred to the left wing and lift struts.

Overview

On September 28, 2009, a student pilot reported to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge during a telephone conversation that he had experienced a loss of directional control while landing a personal tailwheel-equipped airplane at a short and rough off-airport site. The flight was conducted under Title 14, CFR Part 91 for personal purposes.

Pilot Report

The pilot stated that during the landing roll, the airplane encountered a dip in the surface. He subsequently lost directional control, and the airplane veered to the right, departing the airstrip, and nosed over.

Aircraft Damage

The accident resulted in substantial damage to the left wing and its associated lift struts. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical problems with the airplane.

Pilot Experience

According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) medical records, the pilot had approximately 14 hours of total flight experience as of June 10, 2009. The student pilot did not complete an NTSB accident report form as requested.

Contributing factors

Causes

Directional control — Not attained/maintainedStudent pilot

Other contributing factors

Contributed to outcome