Primary finding
Probable cause
The pilot's selection of unsuitable terrain for landing.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The pilot was landing a tailwheel and tundra tire equipped airplane on a rocky mountain ridge at 5,400 feet mean sea level. The landing area was about 600 feet long and 50 feet wide. The pilot was landing in a westerly direction and during touchdown the right main landing gear tire struck a rock. The right main landing gear collapsed, and the airplane nosed over. The pilot described the wind conditions as light and variable.
Source record
Factual narrative
On July 16, 1997, about 1300 Alaska daylight time, a tundra tire equipped Piper PA-18 airplane, N83675, crashed during landing on remote mountainous terrain, about 20 miles east of Gakona, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) on-demand passenger flight under Title 14 CFR Part 135 when the accident occurred. The airplane, registered to and operated by McMahan Guide and Flying Service, Gakona, sustained substantial damage. The certificated commercial pilot received minor injuries. The sole passenger was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. VFR company flight following procedures were in effect. The flight originated at Gakona about 1230. On July 16, 1997, at 1807, the pilot reported in a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), he was landing on a rocky mountain ridge of Mount Drum, at 5,400 feet mean sea level. The landing area was about 600 feet long, and 50 feet wide. The pilot was landing in a westerly direction and during the landing touch down, the right main gear tire struck a rock. The right main gear collapsed, and the airplane nosed over. The airplane received damage to the fuselage, vertical stabilizer, and rudder. The pilot described the wind conditions as light and variable. -