The pilot took off in his Super Cub from a private airstrip in a wheel/ski-equipped airplane on a local area flight. He attempted to land on an ice-covered, frozen lake, and, due to the bare ice conditions, he elected to land in a wheel configuration instead of ski configuration.
During the landing roll, as the airplane slowed, the left tire broke through a layer of thin ice atop several inches of water, and the airplane veered left.
The pilot applied engine power in an attempt to correct the veer, but the plane ground-looped to the left, sustaining substantial damage to the empennage and fuselage.
The NTSB attributed the accident to the pilot’s selection of unsuitable terrain for an off-airport landing, which resulted in a ground-loop.
NTSB Identification: ANC13CA019
This January 2013 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.
