Ketchikan International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Ketchikan, Alaska 99901
Saturday, October 11, 2003 12:30 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The private pilot was practicing touch and go landings in a tailwheel-equipped airplane. He reported he lost directional control during a wheel landing, and he applied full power in an attempt to regain control, but the airplane lifted off steeply and stalled. The airplane subsequently descended off the right side of the runway and ground looped, receiving structural damage to the landing gear, right wing, and fuselage.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed after an aborted landing, which resulted in an inadvertent stall and a ground loop. A factor contributing to the accident was the loss of directional control on the ground.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/11/2003
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1230
Event Time Zone --
Event City Ketchikan
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99901
Event Date Year 2003
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 552120N
Event Location Longitude 1314250W
Event Location Airport Ketchikan International
Event Location Nearest Airport ID PAKT
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 88
Weather Briefing Completeness Abbreviated
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 6000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4600
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 9
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.52
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Light
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) 15412
NTSB Notification Source FAA Anchorage, ROC
NTSB Notification Date Oct 11 2003 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1237
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jun 3 2004 1:28PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Juneau FSDO-05

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3573P
NTSB Number ANC04LA002
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-18-150
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 18-4527
Certified Max Gross Weight 2070
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 May 1 2003 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 30
Airframe Hours 3391
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name James Stewart
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Ketchikan
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99601
Operator is an individual? Yes
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code PAKT
Departure City Ketchikan
Departure State AK
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1030
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 - aborted
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Mar 25 2004 3:12PM
User who most recently changed record PETL
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 29
Runway Length 7500
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --