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ANC14CA013

2013-12-23 · Platinum, Alaska, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport PTU

Current FAA registration · N7069K

Make / Model
PIPER PA-20
Year of manufacture
1950 · 63 years old at event
Engine
LYCOMING 0-290 SERIES (140 hp)
Seats / Engines
4 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19551018
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A96E75

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during a crosswind landing.

Factual narrative

The pilot reported that he was landing his tailwheel-equipped airplane on a dry, gravel airstrip, which required a correction for a 10 knot right crosswind. He said that during touchdown, a gust of wind picked the airplane up three to four feet, and the airplane drifted left of the centerline. During the second touchdown, the airplane weather-vaned into the wind, and the pilot said that full left rudder had no effect. The airplane continued across the runway and into a ditch, sustaining substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported that he was landing his tailwheel-equipped airplane on a dry, gravel airstrip, which required a correction for a 10 knot right crosswind. He said that during touchdown, a gust of wind picked the airplane up three to four feet, and the airplane drifted left of the centerline. During the second touchdown, the airplane weather-vaned into the wind, and the pilot said that full left rudder had no effect. The airplane continued across the runway and into a ditch, sustaining substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • C Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Directional control-Not attained/maintained - C
  • C Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot - C
  • — Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Wind-Crosswind-Effect on operation

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2013_ANC14CA013.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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