Accident Overview
On July 28, 2014, at 1545 Alaska daylight time, a tail wheel-equipped Piper PA-22 (registration N8883C) experienced a ground loop during the landing roll on runway 19 at Dillingham Municipal Airport (DLG), Dillingham, Alaska. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing and right horizontal stabilizer. The pilot and two passengers were uninjured. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight, not operating on a flight plan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The flight originated from Ekuk, Alaska, at 1500 and was destined for DLG.
Pilot's Report
The pilot stated in his NTSB Pilot/Operator Accident/Incident Report that he departed from Ekuk, Alaska, at 1500 to fly two passengers to DLG, where they were to take a commercial flight home. During the approach to DLG, the airport's Automatic Terminal Information Service reported wind from 220 degrees at 8 knots, gusting to 12 knots. The pilot flew over the runway and entered a right downwind for runway 19 (6,400 feet by 150 feet, grooved asphalt). After seeing the airport windsock, he requested a wind check, which reported wind from 290 degrees at 8 knots, gusting to 12 knots. The pilot considered landing on runway 01, but at that time another airplane reported entering downwind for runway 19, so he continued his approach to land on runway 19 with a quartering tailwind.
Landing Sequence
The pilot reported that during landing, as the airplane touched down, he reduced engine power to idle as the tail lowered onto the runway. As the airplane slowed, he looked away from the runway momentarily. When he looked up, the airplane began to slowly veer to the left. He slid his foot up onto the rudder pedal to apply right brake, but because he was wearing flip-flops, his foot slipped off. He considered adding engine power to regain rudder control but decided that reapplication of right brake would be sufficient. The airplane then accelerated and headed toward the right edge of the runway. As the airplane neared the runway edge, the pilot allowed it to ground loop to remain on the runway. The right main landing gear sheared off, and the airplane collapsed onto its right wing. The propeller struck the ground while the engine was idling. The airplane slid approximately 15 feet before stopping.
Aircraft and Pilot Comments
The pilot reported no mechanical malfunction or failure with the airplane. He stated that the airplane weight at the time of the accident was 1,920 lbs, with a gross weight of 1,950 lbs. In a telephone conversation with the NTSB Investigator-In-Charge, the pilot stated that during landing, the airplane was not slowing, and he applied full right rudder to avoid departing the end of the runway. He noted that Piper PA-22 airplanes are "really short coupled" and that the accident airplane was equipped with larger tires. According to the pilot, braking performance with larger tires is less effective on asphalt surfaces compared to unimproved surfaces.