Piper PA-12 N78463

Summary

On 5 September 2011 at about 00:30 local time, a Piper PA-12 registered N78463, operated by Rodriguez Gamaliel I, was involved in an accident near North Pole, Alaska, United States. 2 people were 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

5 September 2011 at 00:30

Classification

Accident

Location

North Pole, Alaska, United States

Nearest airport

Airway (5AK3)

Coordinates

64.7706, -147.3336

Aircraft

Piper PA-12

Registration

N78463

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Rodriguez Gamaliel I

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

North Pole → North Pole

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC11CA094

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed during takeoff, resulting in an aerodynamic stall and collision with the water.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot of the float-equipped airplane aborted 2 takeoffs to the north from a float pond after failing to become airborne at his no-go decision point. He reported that the wind was variable and that he then initiated a third takeoff to the south. The airplane lifted off prior to reaching the no-go point, but the pilot thought that he was not going to clear the trees at the shoreline. He said the wind may have changed direction or calmed, and the airplane was near stall airspeed. He said he had no option but to increase the pitch attitude, causing the airplane to stall and impact the pond.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.