Piper PA-12 N3140M
16 September 1987 · Shaw Creek, Alaska, United States · Fatal
Summary
On 16 September 1987 at about 03:00 local time, a Piper PA-12 registered N3140M, operated by David McCarter, was involved in an accident near Shaw Creek, Alaska, United States. 3 people were on board and 3 died. The aircraft was destroyed. No probable cause statement is available for this record.
The record
- Date
- at 03:00
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Shaw Creek, Alaska, United States
- Coordinates
- Not recorded
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-12
- Registration
- N3140M
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- David McCarter
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Business
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Dry Creek → Unknown
- Aircraft damage
- Destroyed
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- ANC87FA153
People
3 people died.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 3 | 0 | 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
THE PRIVATE PILOT WAS TRANSPORTING PASSENGERS INCIDENTAL TO THE OPERATION OF HIS LODGE. ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, IT WAS COMMON FOR PILOTS TO USE THAT PORTION OF THE HIGHWAY FOR TAKEOFFS AND LANDINGS. ACCORDING TO THE HUSBAND OF ONE OF THE FATALLY INJURED PASSENGERS, THE PILOT WAS PLANNING TO LAND ON THE HIGHWAY, JUST AS HE HAD DONE PREVIOUSLY. ANOTHER WITNESS STATED THE AIRPLANE WAS PARALLELING THE HIGHWAY AND MADE A RIGHT TURN TOWARDS THE ROAD AND THE HILL. THE AIRPLANE THEN 'WOBBLED' SLIGHTLY, AND THEN DOVE TOWARD THE ROAD WITH THE RIGHT WING LOW. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED APPROXIMATELY 20 YARDS IN FRONT OF A TRACTOR TRAILER ON THE HIGHWAY. THE AIRPLANE BURST INTO FLAMES AND SLID INTO THE DITCH ALONGSIDE OF THE HIGHWAY.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Piper PA-12 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 Sep 1987 | Piper PA-12 | Valdez, Alaska, United States | Michael M. Stitzel | No injuries | - |
| 5 Jul 1987 | Piper PA-12 | Sun Valley, Idaho, United States | Stanley E. Clark | Minor injuries | - |
| 10 Oct 1987 | Piper PA-12 | Skwentna, Alaska, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 9 Nov 1987 | Piper PA-12 | Corona, California, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 18 Apr 1987 | Piper PA-12 | Yentna River, Alaska, United States | William H. Tinney | No injuries | - |
| 17 Oct 1987 | Piper PA-12 | Hammondsport, New York, United States | Seth Carlton Myers | Minor injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Sep 1987 | Piper PA-18 | Gold King, Alaska, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 14 Sep 1987 | Taylorcraft F-19 | Kuskatan River, Alaska, United States | RAY Tressler | Serious injuries | - |
| 14 Sep 1987 | Aeronca 7AC | Island Lake, Alaska, United States | Ronald L. Williams | Minor injuries | - |
| 5 Sep 1987 | Champion 7ECA | Salcha, Alaska, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 14 Sep 1987 | Piper PA-18-150 | Stoney River, Alaska, United States | William J. Dunbar | No injuries | - |
| 16 Sep 1987 | Piper PA-18A | Windy Ridge, Alaska, United States | Larry W. Hedgpeth | Serious injuries | - |