On 28 Jan 2019, a Piper PA 18A 135 was involved in an aviation accident near McGrath, AK. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's selection of unsuitable terrain for landing, which resulted in the landing gear collapsing. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
While landing off-airport on snow, a ski-equipped airplane's left landing gear side-loaded against a hidden tussock, folding under. The left wingtip impacted another tussock, resulting in substantial wing damage.
Accident Details
A pilot of a ski-equipped airplane reported that, during an off-airport landing on a snow-covered field, the left landing gear encountered a large tussock hidden beneath the snow. The gear side-loaded, causing it to fold under the aircraft. As the left gear collapsed, the left wingtip dropped and struck a snow-covered tussock.
Aircraft Damage
The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing as a result of the impact.
Pilot Report
The pilot stated that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The incident was attributed to the hidden tussock, which was not visible due to snow cover.