PIPER J3F-65 near Beluga, AK — 2012-06-21

Probable cause

The pilot's delayed decision to go around, which resulted in a hard landing.

NTSB narrative

The pilot stated that he had been landing his tailwheel-equipped airplane at an off-airport site. On his third landing attempt, he elected to go around, but the airplane landed hard. During the landing, the left main landing gear broke and the left wing contacted the ground, sustaining substantial damage to the wing spar. In a written statement, the pilot stated that the airplane may not have been developing full power, but in a telephone conversation he said that, "the engine was running good when the prop hit."

NTSB coding

• Abnormal runway contact · Approach-VFR go-around
• Go-Around (VFR)
• Delayed Action

Evidence available

• 2 docket documents

Docket documents2

• Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1form
• Record of Conversation - Pilotother

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