The pilot reported that, before landing his wheel/ski-equipped Piper PA-18-180 at a snow-covered airstrip in Glennallen, Alaska, he elected to “drag” the site, which involved doing a series of touch-and-go landings to determine the snow conditions before doing a full stop landing.
He said that after completing two successful drags on the untouched snow, during the third, he inadvertently allowed the airspeed to decay, and he was unable to get airborne again.
The airplane passed the end of the airstrip and hit a snow-covered gravel berm.
The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing and fuselage, while the pilot sustained minor injuries.
Probable Cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain airspeed during a drag maneuver, which resulted in an overrun and subsequent impact with terrain.
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This January 2023 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.
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