Lake Hood Seaplane Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Anchorage, Alaska 99502
Sunday, February 27, 2005 15:43 AST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The private pilot had landed his ski-equipped tailwheel airplane on a frozen seaplane airstrip. He reported that as he turned the airplane to the right from the landing site toward his parking area, the left main landing gear ski dug into the snow, and the left main landing gear collapsed, resulting in structural damage to the fuselage adjacent to the main landing gear attachment cluster. The pilot indicated that there were no preaccident mechanical problems with the airplane.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's excessive taxi speed during a turn while taxiing from landing, which resulted in the collapse of the left main landing gear, and structural damage to the fuselage.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/27/2005
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1543
Event Time Zone Atlantic Standard Time
Event City Anchorage
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99502
Event Date Year 2005
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 611048N
Event Location Longitude 1495819W
Event Location Airport Lake Hood Seaplane
Event Location Nearest Airport ID LHD
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1553 Atlantic Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID PANC
Elevation of weather observation facility 73
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation AST
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) 1
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 10
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.68
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 17669
NTSB Notification Source FAA, ANC ROC
NTSB Notification Date Feb 27 2005 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1550
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jun 8 2005 12:51PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Anchorage

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6174D
NTSB Number ANC05LA044
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-22
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 22-4821
Certified Max Gross Weight 2000
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 --
Airframe hours since last inspection 87
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Richard L. Davis
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Eagle River
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99577
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name --
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
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 LHD
Departure City Anchorage
Departure State AK
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone AST
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 - roll
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Apr 8 2005 2:16PM
User who most recently changed record PETL
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 27
Runway Length 5000
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --