On 26 Sep 2011, a PIPER PA-18-150 operated by LARRY WILLIAM G was involved in an aviation accident near Fairbanks, AK. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The student pilot's hard landing while encountering gusting winds. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
A student pilot performing a solo landing in a float-equipped aircraft caused substantial damage to the fuselage after hitting choppy water.
What happened
On September 26, 2011, a solo student pilot was operating a Piper PA-18-150 equipped with floats near Fairbanks, Alaska. While attempting to land on choppy water during periods of gusting wind, the aircraft experienced a hard landing. The impact resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage of N8998Y. There were no injuries reported following the event. The pilot noted that the flight should not have been attempted under those specific weather conditions.
The investigation
The investigation found that the pilot did not report any mechanical issues with the aircraft prior to the accident. The weather conditions at the time of the landing involved VMC with visibility of 3 statute miles, but featured choppy water and gusting winds.
Probable cause
The student pilot's hard landing while encountering gusting winds.