Piper PA-18-105 N325T

Summary

On 18 December 2002 at about 15:00 local time, a Piper PA-18-105 registered N325T was involved in an accident near Palmer, Alaska, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

18 December 2002 at 15:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Palmer, Alaska, United States

Coordinates

61.2500, -148.5500

Aircraft

Piper PA-18-105

Registration

N325T

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Palmer → Wasilla

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC03LA018

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's selection of an unsuitable takeoff area, and his failure to achieve takeoff speed which resulted in an on ground collision with a ditch. Contributing factors were soft and snow-covered terrain, and a ditch.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The solo private pilot reported that during the takeoff roll, from the remote off airport site, the landing gear tires dug into the soft snow, and the airplane would not accelerate. The airplane subsequently collided with a ditch at the departure end of the site, and both main landing gear collapsed. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident anomalies with the airplane.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.