NTSB Factual Report

On July 20, 2001, at 1257 Alaska daylight time, a wheel-equipped Piper PA-16 airplane, N5280H, sustained substantial damage during landing on runway 33, at Merrill Field, Anchorage, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) business flight when the accident occurred. The airplane was operated by the pilot. The commercial certificated pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), was notified of the accident by Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) air traffic control personnel at the Merrill Field tower. Tower personnel reported the airplane was landing on runway 33, and appeared to ground loop to the right. The airplane's left main landing gear assembly appeared to be broken, and the left wing struck the runway. The airplane was disabled on the runway.

On July 23, the NTSB IIC inspected the airplane at Merrill Field. The visual inspection of the airplane revealed that the left wing was buckled upward about 15 degrees, just outboard of the wing lift strut attach point. The leading edge at the outboard end of the left elevator was crushed aft and buckled upward. The left main landing gear axle was fractured.

At 1253, an Aviation Routine Weather Report (METAR) was reporting in part: Wind, 320 degrees (true) at 4 knots; visibility, 10 statute miles; clouds and sky condition, few at 1,500 feet, 6,000 feet overcast; temperature, 63 degrees F; dew point, 57 degrees F; altimeter, 29.87 inHg.

NTSB Probable Cause

An inadvertent ground loop during the landing roll.