Piper PA-12 N49EB

Summary

On 19 May 2000 at about 20:00 local time, a Piper PA-12 registered N49EB, operated by Benjamin P. Hancock, was involved in an accident near Wasilla, Alaska, United States. 3 people were on board and 2 had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

19 May 2000 at 20:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Wasilla, Alaska, United States

Nearest airport

Anderson Lake Strip (0AK1)

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Piper PA-12

Registration

N49EB

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Benjamin P. Hancock

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Cordova

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC00LA060

2 people had minor injuries.

The pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions during takeoff. A factor in the accident was a sudden wind shift.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot, holder of a student pilot certificate, was departing from a private airstrip with two passengers. A witness reported the airplane encountered a wind shear at tree top level, and crashed on the runway. An Alaska State Trooper responded to the accident scene and spoke with the pilot. The pilot told the trooper that he was planning to go hunting. The pilot said that he had accrued about 300 hours, and he also told the trooper that the airplane's annual inspection was expired. An FAA inspector responded to the accident scene. When he arrived, the pilot, with others assisting, were disassembling the airplane. The inspector reported that the damage to the airplane consisted of wrinkling of both sides of the fuselage. In addition, the airplane had damage to the right wing lift strut, the main landing gear was folded upward under the airplane, and the propeller was bent. The inspector said that the pilot refused to talk with him about the accident. The NTSB IIC received a telephone call from the pilot later the day of the accident. When asked about the details of the accident, the pilot refused to provide his name or any additional information. The NTSB Northwest Field Office received an NTSB Pilot/Operator report from the pilot's address of record. The form was unsigned, and indicated that after takeoff, the airplane lost lift when the wind direction changed at tree-top level. The takeoff was then aborted. FAA records indicate the pilot received a private pilot certificate six days after the accident.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.