Willbird 2 N37875
9 January 1983 · Chugiak, Alaska, United States · Serious injuries
Summary
On 9 January 1983 at about 15:00 local time, a Willbird 2 registered N37875 was involved in an accident near Chugiak, Alaska, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. No probable cause statement is available for this record.
The record
- Date
- at 15:00
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Chugiak, Alaska, United States
- Coordinates
- 61.4104, -149.1704
- Aircraft
- Willbird 2
- Registration
- N37875
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Chugiak → Unknown
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- ANC83FAG02
People
1 person was seriously injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.
Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.
Read the full NTSB narrative
AS THE AIRCRAFT LIFTED OFF, THE NOSE PITCHED UP ALARMINGLY AND APPLICATION OF FULL DOWN ELEVATOR CONTROL HAD NO APPARENT EFFECT. THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO LOWER THE NOSE BY EXTENDING FULL FLAPS. HOWEVER, HE WAS UNABLE TO LATCH THE MANUAL FLAPS IN THE DOWN POSITION AND THE EFFORTS TO HOLD THE FLAPS DOWN WAS BEYOND HIS PHYSICAL ENDURANCE. AS THE FLAPS RETRACTED, THE NOSE PITCHED UP AND THE AIRCRAFT STALLED AT ABOUT 100 FT AGL. THE AIRCRAFT THEN FELL OFF ON THE LEFT WING AND PITCHED NOSE DOWN. IT CRASHED THROUGH POWER LINES AND BIRCH TREES IN A SLIGHT NOSE, LEFT WING 40 DEG DOWN, ATTITUDE. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT A HINGE BEARING COMPONENT OF THE STABILATOR CONTROL HAD FAILED. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE STABILATOR MOVED FORWARD WHICH SLACKENED THE STABILATOR CONTROL CABLES AND RESULTED IN LOSS OF PITCH CONTROL. THE PILOT/OWNER OF THE HOMEBUILT AIRCRAFT RECOMMENDED WELDING (RATHER THAN BRAZING) HEAVILY STRESSED BEARINGS OR USE CAST, FORGED OR MACHINED PILLOW BLOCKS. THE PLANE HAD 229 HRS TOTAL FLT TIME.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 Jun 1983 | Cessna 182 | Bettles, Alaska, United States | John Pletting | No injuries | - |
| 19 Jun 1983 | Piper PA-18 | Squaw Lake, Alaska, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 24 Jun 1983 | Piper PA-18 | Palmer, Alaska, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 27 Jun 1983 | Piper J-3 | Skwentna, Alaska, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 26 Jun 1983 | Cessna 170 | Fairbanks, Alaska, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 28 Jun 1983 | Cessna 180 | King Salmon, Alaska, United States | - | No injuries | - |