Piper PA-18-150 N9124D

Summary

On 12 November 1992 at about 16:00 local time, a Piper PA-18-150 registered N9124D, operated by JOE A. Firmin, was involved in an accident near Beaver, Alaska, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

12 November 1992 at 16:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Beaver, Alaska, United States

Coordinates

66.3907, -147.3402

Aircraft

Piper PA-18-150

Registration

N9124D

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

JOE A. Firmin

Operating rule

Public Use

Purpose of flight

Public Use

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Fort Yukon → Fairbanks

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC93GA020

2 people died.

THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL AT AN ALTITUDE INADEQUATE TO AFFECT A RECOVERY. FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE OVERWEIGHT AIRPLANE, AND THE SNOW COVERED MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PURPOSE OF FLIGHT WAS TO COUNT MOOSE. THE PILOT HAD REPORTED TO ANOTHER SURVEY PILOT, WHO WAS WORKING IN AN AREA NEARBY AND JUST OVER THE RIDGE, THAT HIS ASSIGNED AREA HAD SOME FOG IN THE UPPER ELEVATIONS, BUT THAT IT WAS WORKABLE. THE PILOT SUBSEQUENTLY ADVISED THAT THE STANDARD SEARCH HAD BEEN COMPLETED, AND THAT HE WAS COMMENCING THE INTENSIVE SEARCH PATTERN. THERE WAS NO FURTHER CONTACT WITH THE FLIGHT. DURING THE INTENSIVE SEARCH, WHICH TAKES 20-30 MIN TO COMPLETE, A SERIES OF SLIGHTLY OVERLAPPING CIRCLES OR OVALS ARE FLOWN AT 200-300 FT AGL, AT 60 TO 70 MPH, WITH ONE NOTCH (15 DEG) OF FLAPS. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED SNOW COVERED TUNDRA NOSE FIRST AT AN ANGLE OF APPROX 40 DEG. AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, THE AIRPLANE WAS APPROX 300 LBS OVER MAX CERTIFICATED GROSS WEIGHT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.