Birchwood Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Birchwood, Alaska 99577
Saturday, April 15, 2006 13:05 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The certificated flight instructor was providing dual instruction under Title 14, CFR Part 91. The flight instructor said during landing the student over-corrected with the rudder, causing the airplane to swerve to the right, and then over-corrected again by applying full left rudder. He said as he attempted to take control of the airplane, the student applied full right rudder, and the airplane swerved to the right. The instructor said the swerve to the right was more than he could correct, because there are no brakes on the rudder pedals on the right side of the airplane. He said the airplane ground-looped to the right, and the left main landing gear collapsed, resulting in structural damage to the left wing and fuselage. The instructor said there were no known mechanical problems with the airplane prior to the accident. In his written report to the NTSB, he wrote: "I should have recognized the student's over controlling sooner, and assumed control of the airplane prior to the ground-loop actually happening."

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The flight instructor's delayed remedial action during the landing roll, which resulted in the loss of directional control by the student, a ground-loop, and collapse of the main landing gear. A factor associated with the accident was the student's failure to maintain directional control.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/15/2006
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1305
Event Time Zone --
Event City Birchwood
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99577
Event Date Year 2006
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 612459N
Event Location Longitude 1493026W
Event Location Airport Birchwood
Event Location Nearest Airport ID BCV
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 --
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 12000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 250
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency --
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 20132
NTSB Notification Source FAA Anchorage, ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Aug 29 2006 3:49PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7257D
NTSB Number ANC06CA045
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-22-150
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 22-5084
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft --
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 1 2006 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 4074
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Roger Clyne
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 Roger Clyne
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Eagle River
Operator State AK
Operator Country USA
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 PAVB
Departure City Birchwood
Departure State AK
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
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 --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Mar 19 2009 2:21PM
User who most recently changed record johb
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 19R
Runway Length 4010
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --