Piper PA-18 N4347Z

Summary

On 27 May 2002 at about 02:15 local time, a Piper PA-18 registered N4347Z was involved in an accident near Lime Village, 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

27 May 2002 at 02:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Lime Village, Alaska, United States

Coordinates

63.4696, -162.1102

Aircraft

Piper PA-18

Registration

N4347Z

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Lime Village → Lime Village

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC02FA038

2 people died.

The pilot's inadequate evaluation of weather and his inability to maintain aircraft control. A contributing factor was high winds due to thunderstorm outflow activity.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The certificated commercial pilot, with one passenger aboard, was departing on a cross-country personal flight from a remote, 1,300 foot-long, gravel-covered airstrip. A commercial pilot witness reported that as the accident airplane started its takeoff run to the southeast, the airplane's engine sounded "normal" as if it was producing full power. He added that as soon as the airplane began its takeoff roll, he saw a large thunderstorm cell approaching the airstrip from the northeast. High winds from the northeast and very heavy rain showers preceded the fast moving thunderstorm cell. The witness estimated that the fast moving thunderstorm cell passed over the departure end of the airstrip just as the accident airplane was departing. The airplane subsequently collided with tree-covered terrain about 1,500 feet beyond the departure end of the airstrip. A postcrash fire destroyed the airplane wreckage. Examination of the airplane revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical anomalies.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.