Quartz Creek Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Teller, Alaska 99778
Sunday, June 8, 2003 16:45 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported he was landing his tailwheel-equipped airplane on a gravel runway with a prevailing left crosswind. During the landing roll, the airplane swerved to the left, and he attempted to regain directional control and abort the landing by applying right brake, right rudder, and engine power. He was unable to abort the landing, and the right main landing gear tire deflated. The airplane subsequently nosed down, and received substantial damage to the fuselage, left aileron, and horizontal stabilizer.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's inadequate compensation for a crosswind and his failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll, resulting in a loss of control and nose down of the airplane. A factor in the accident was a crosswind.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/8/2003
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1645
Event Time Zone --
Event City Teller
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99778
Event Date Year 2003
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 652422N
Event Location Longitude 1643920W
Event Location Airport Quartz Creek
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 5QC
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 416
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID --
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
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) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 60
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 14386
NTSB Notification Source FAA, ANC ROC
NTSB Notification Date Jun 9 2003 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1155
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Nov 25 2003 11:36AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Fairbanks

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2475M
NTSB Number ANC03LA056
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-12
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 1688
Certified Max Gross Weight 1735
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 29 2002 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 75
Airframe Hours 3278
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name William E. Tweet
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Nome
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode --
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code AK49
Departure City Taylor
Departure State AK
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1615
Departure Time Zone ADT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 5QC
Destination City Quartz Creek
Destination State AK
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Landing - roll
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Oct 9 2003 5:06PM
User who most recently changed record PETL
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 12
Runway Length 2960
Runway Width 64
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --