Piper PA-18A N8162C

Summary

On 26 October 2000 at about 23:50 local time, a Piper PA-18A registered N8162C was involved in an accident near Akhiok, Alaska, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

26 October 2000 at 23:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Akhiok, Alaska, United States

Coordinates

57.7901, -152.3990

Aircraft

Piper PA-18A

Registration

N8162C

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Kodiak

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC01FA012

1 person died.

The pilot's inadequate preflight planning/preparation, and inadequate evaluation of weather conditions. Factors in the accident were a tailwind, and a short runway/landing area.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

A private certificated pilot was departing a small lake at the conclusion of a deer hunting trip. An Alaska State Trooper/Pilot was flying over the area of the lake, conducting an aerial game patrol. He saw the float-equipped accident airplane taxiing in a southwest direction from the northeast shoreline of the lake. The lake has an hourglass shape, with the narrow portion of the lake located about 1/3 of the way from the southwest end of the lake, and has shallow water at the narrowest point. The wind was blowing from the northeast about 5 to 10 knots, and 4 to 5 inch waves were building against the southwestern shore. The trooper said he expected the airplane to taxi to the southwest, and then depart toward the northeast. When the airplane did not become airborne, the trooper returned to the area of the lake. He saw the airplane resting against the southwest shore, having collided with a small bluff along the shore. The lake was too small for the trooper airplane to land, and search and rescue personnel responded in a helicopter. The lake was measured by GPS equipment and found to be 760 feet long. An on-scene examination of the airplane did not reveal any preimpact malfunction of the airplane.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.