AIRCRAFT 1 PRELIMINARY REPORT

On April 28, 2000, about 1800 Alaska daylight time, a wheel equipped Cessna 182 airplane, N3725D, sustained substantial damage during landing at a private airstrip, about three miles east of Wasilla, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) cross-country personal flight when the accident occurred. The airplane was operated by the pilot. The private certificated pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight originated at Merrill Field, Anchorage, Alaska, at 1740. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), on April 29, 2000, the pilot reported he was landing to the west on his private airstrip. The grass airstrip, oriented east/west, is 1,300 feet long, and 100 feet wide. The pilot said the west end of the airstrip was soft, and during the landing roll, the airplane nose wheel dug into the soft ground. The propeller and the left wingtip then struck the ground. The airplane received damage to the propeller, about 12 inches of the outboard end of the left wing, and the left wing spar.

AIRCRAFT 1 FINAL REPORT

The private certificated pilot was landing to the west on his private airstrip. The grass airstrip, oriented east/west, is 1,300 feet long, and 100 feet wide. The pilot said the west end of the airstrip was soft, and during the landing roll, the airplane nose wheel dug into the soft ground. The propeller and the left wingtip then struck the ground. The airplane received damage to the propeller, about 12 inches of the outboard end of the left wing, and the left wing spar.

AIRCRAFT 1 CAUSE REPORT

The pilot's selection of unsuitable terrain for landing. A factor in the accident was a soft area of runway.

END REPORT