Piper PA-18-150 N6891B

Summary

On 1 May 2010 at about 16:40 local time, a Piper PA-18-150 registered N6891B, operated by Theodore A. Schachle, was involved in an accident near Willow, Alaska, United States. 2 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

1 May 2010 at 16:40

Classification

Accident

Location

Willow, Alaska, United States

Coordinates

62.1647, -150.3739

Aircraft

Piper PA-18-150

Registration

N6891B

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Theodore A. Schachle

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Willow → Willow

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC10CA034

2 people had minor injuries.

The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed while maneuvering, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The private pilot, with one passenger, was on a Title 14, CFR Part 91, personal flight when the accident occurred. The purpose of the flight was to search for a missing friend in an area of remote tree and snow-covered terrain. The pilot said that while flying slow and maneuvering at 75-feet above the ground, his passenger saw the missing man lying on the ground near a snow-covered meadow. The pilot reported that as he started a right turn back to the meadow, he added engine power, and initiated a climb, but the right wing stalled. He said that he initiated a stall recovery, but that the airplane descended nose down into the trees. The pilot said that there were no mechanical problems with the airplane prior to the accident. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings, fuselage, and empennage.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.