NTSB Factual Report

On July 28, 2014, at 1545 Alaska daylight time, a tail wheel-equipped Piper PA-22, N8883C, experienced a ground loop during landing roll on runway 19 at the Dillingham Municipal Airport (DLG), Dillingham, Alaska. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing and right horizontal stabilizer. The pilot and two passengers were uninjured. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight that was not operating on a flight plan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The flight originated from Ekuk, Alaska, at 1500 and was destined to DLG.

The pilot stated in his National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Pilot/Operator Accident/Incident Report that he departed from Ekuk, Alaska, at 1500 to fly two passengers to DLG where they were going to take a commercial flight home.

The pilot also stated that during the approach to DLG, the DLG Automatic Terminal Information Service reported wind from 220 degrees at 8 knots gusting 12 knots. The pilot flew the airplane over the runway and entered a right downwind for runway 19 (6,400 feet by 150 feet, grooved asphalt). After seeing the airport windsock, he asked for a wind check which reported wind 290 degrees at 8 knots gust 12 knots. The pilot said that he considered landing on runway 01 but at the time another airplane reported entering downwind for runway 19 so he continued his approach to land on runway 19 with a quartering tailwind. He said that during the landing and as the airplane touched down onto the runway, he reduced engine power to idle as the airplane tail lowered onto the runway. As the airplane slowed, he looked away from the runway for a second and when he looked up and outside, the airplane started to slowly veer to the left. He slid his foot up onto the rudder pedal to apply right brake, but because he was wearing flip flops, his foot slipped off. He thought about adding engine power to gain rudder control but decided that reapplication of right brake would be sufficient. The airplane started to speed up and was headed toward the right edge of the runway. As the airplane neared the runway, the pilot allowed the airplane to ground loop so as to remain on the runway. The right main landing gear sheared off and the airplane collapsed on its right wing, and the propeller struck the ground while the engine was operating at idle power. The airplane slid for about 15 feet before coming to a stop.

The pilot reported that there was no mechanical malfunction/failure with the airplane.

The pilot reported that the airplane weight at the time of the accident was 1,920 lbs. The airplane gross weight was 1,950 lbs.

During a telephone conversation with the NTSB Investigator-In-Charge, the pilot stated that during the landing, the airplane was not slowing, and he "jammed" right rudder to avoid going off the departure end of the runway. He said that Piper PA-22 airplanes are "really short coupled," and the accident airplane was equipped with a larger set of tires. The braking performance with the larger set of tire is not as good on asphalt surfaces as on unimproved landing surfaces.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during the landing due to his decision to attempt a landing with a quartering tailwind, which resulted in a ground loop and impact with the runway surface.