Piper PA-16 accident near Anchorage, Alaska, July 20, 2001
On July 20, 2001 at about 8:57 pm local time, a Piper PA-16, registered N5280H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Anchorage, Alaska (Merrill Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
An inadvertent ground loop during the landing roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 20, 2001 · about 8:57 pm local time
- Place
- Anchorage, Alaska · Merrill Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-16 · all PA-16s on the register
- Registration
- N5280H · no longer on the register · serial 16-84
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was landing a tailwheel-equipped airplane, and during the landing roll, the airplane ground looped to the right. The left main landing gear axle fractured and the left wing struck the runway. The left wing was buckled upward about 15 degrees, just outboard of the wing lift strut attach point. The leading edge at the outboard end of the left elevator was crushed aft and buckled upward.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 3,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (expired)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Pt. Possession AK at 3:30 pm
- Destination: PAMR Anchorage AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 33, 2,640 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 295° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.87 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from PAMR
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N5280H the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.