Nenana, AK, USA
N5540A
Piper PA-20
The private certificated pilot was conducting a personal local flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The pilot reported that during landing, the airplane touched down on the runway centerline, and veered sharply to the right. He applied left rudder and power, but the airplane continued to the right, and ground-looped. The left main landing gear collapsed, and the left wing struck the ground. The pilot said there were no known mechanical anomalies with the airplane prior to the accident, and that the left wing and left horizontal stabilizer, were damaged during the accident. The pilot reported that faster reactions after touchdown might have prevented the accident.
On June 24, 2007, about 1530 Alaska daylight time, a tailwheel-equipped Piper PA-20 airplane, N5540A, sustained substantial damage during landing at the Nenana Municipal Airport, Nenana, Alaska. The airplane was being operated by the pilot as a visual flight rules (VFR) personal local flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The pilot and sole passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flight departed the Fairbanks International Airport, Fairbanks, Alaska, about 1445. In a written statement to the NTSB dated July 10, the pilot reported that when he reached the destination airport, the airplane touched down on the runway centerline, and veered sharply to the right. He indicated that he applied left rudder and power, but the airplane continued to the right, and ground-looped. According to the pilot, the left main landing gear collapsed, and the left wing struck the ground. He reported that there were no known mechanical anomalies with the airplane prior to the accident, and that the left wing, and left horizontal stabilizer, were damaged during the accident. The pilot wrote that faster reactions after touchdown might have prevented the accident.
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing, which resulted in a ground-loop and main landing gear collapse. Factors contributing to the accident were the ground-loop and landing gear collapse.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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