Homer Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Homer, Alaska 99603
Saturday, June 16, 2001 8:55 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot, holder of a student pilot certificate, was landing a tailwheel-equipped airplane at the conclusion of a local area flight. He said he landed hard, the airplane bounced, and then ground looped to the left. The right main landing gear wheel rim was broken, and the right wingtip scraped the ground. The pilot said his total accrued flight time was about 55 hours, and he was uncertain if the airplane sustained any damage to the wing structure. One month later, an airplane mechanic notified the NTSB IIC, and reported that the right wing received damage to the wing spar.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The student pilot's inadvertent ground loop. A factor in the accident was the pilot's lack of total experience.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/16/2001
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 855
Event Time Zone --
Event City HOMER
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99603
Event Date Year 2001
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 593844N
Event Location Longitude 1512836W
Event Location Airport HOMER
Event Location Nearest Airport ID PAHO
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 84
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 853 Atlantic Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID PAHO
Elevation of weather observation facility 84
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation ADT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 12
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.23
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 11411
NTSB Notification Source FAA REGIONAL OPERATIONS CENTER
NTSB Notification Date Jun 16 2001 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1030
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Feb 20 2002 1:46PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office FAA-AL-ANC FSDO 03

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6966D
NTSB Number ANC01LA101
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA-18
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 18-5547
Certified Max Gross Weight 1750
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Feb 12 2001 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 2
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ROGER C. WARREN
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 3061
Aircraft Owner City HOMER
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99603
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name --
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City --
Operator State --
Operator Country --
Operator Zip code --
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code PAHO
Departure City HOMER
Departure State AK
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 830
Departure Time Zone ADT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City --
Destination State --
Destination Country --
Specific Phase of Flight Landing - flare/touchdown
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 18 2002 3:35PM
User who most recently changed record STAM
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 21
Runway Length 6701
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --