| Crash location | 62.279167°N, 147.111389°W
Reported location is a long distance from the NTSB's reported nearest city. This often means that the location has a typo, or is incorrect. |
| Nearest city | Talkeetna, AK
62.323889°N, 150.109444°W 96.3 miles away |
| Tail number | N323DH |
|---|---|
| Accident date | 21 Jul 2015 |
| Aircraft type | Piper Pa 18-150 |
| Additional details: | None |
The pilot reported he was landing a tailwheel-equipped airplane on a rough and uneven, vegetation covered, off-airport site. The pilot said that during the approach, just prior to touchdown the airplane encountered a wind shift and increase in wind speed, resulting in a strong downdraft. The pilot applied full power in an effort to correct for the downdraft, but the airplane touched down much harder than anticipated and bounced, rotating 90 degrees before impacting a berm and nosing down. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing and fuselage. The pilot stated that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
The pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions, and improper recovery from a bounced landing resulting in a loss of control and collision with terrain.