ANC02LA024

Factual narrative

On March 20, 2002, about 1700 Alaska standard time, a ski-equipped Taylorcraft F-19 airplane, N3947T, sustained substantial damage when the right main landing gear collapsed during landing, at an off airport site located about 10 miles west of Dillingham, Alaska. The solo certificated private pilot was not injured. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) personal flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated about 1630, from a private airstrip at the pilot's home in Dillingham. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge on March 22, the pilot reported that he was practicing touch-and-go landings in an area of flat, featureless, snow-covered terrain. The pilot reported that during the first landing, just after touchdown, the right main landing gear collapsed, and the airplane nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and fuselage. Due to the remote location of the accident airplane, no NTSB inspection of the collapsed landing gear was accomplished. The private pilot was practicing touch-and-go landings in a ski-equipped airplane in an area of flat, featureless, snow-covered terrain. During the first landing, just after touchdown, the right main landing gear collapsed, and the airplane nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and fuselage. Due to the remote location of the accident airplane, no NTSB postaccident inspection of the wreckage was accomplished, and the reason for the gear collapse was not determined. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12