What happened
On October 22, 2011, a Piper PA-18-150, registration N82481, was attempting to land at a gravel pit in Portage, Alaska. During the landing phase, the aircraft collided with brush located alongside the landing area. The vegetation was taller than the pilot had anticipated. This collision caused the airplane to veer off the landing area, leading the right wing to strike the ground. The impact resulted in substantial damage to the right wing. There were no injuries resulting from the accident.
The investigation
Investigators determined that the aircraft struck brush that was taller than expected, which caused the plane to deviate from the landing area and subsequently strike the ground with its right wing.