Piper PA-12 N7690H

Summary

On 17 May 2011 at about 23:15 local time, a Piper PA-12 registered N7690H, operated by Pendergrass Joseph M, was involved in an accident near Wasilla, Alaska, United States. One person was on board and one 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

17 May 2011 at 23:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Wasilla, Alaska, United States

Coordinates

61.6258, -149.3375

Aircraft

Piper PA-12

Registration

N7690H

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Pendergrass Joseph M

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Wasilla → Wasilla

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC11CA033

1 person had minor injuries.

The pilot's inadequate preflight inspection, resulting in a departure with the fuel selector in the "off" position, a subsequent loss of engine power, and an off-airport emergency landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

According to the pilot, he departed with the airplane's fuel selector inadvertently placed in the "off" position. When the airplane was about 700 feet above the ground, the engine lost power. After unsuccessfully trying to restart the engine, he made an emergency landing on marshy ground, where the airplane nosed over, sustaining substantial damage to the wings and lift struts. The airplane's annual inspection was completed on the previous day, and the pilot did not notice that the fuel selector had been moved to the "off" position. After the fuel selector was placed in the "on" position, the engine ran normally.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.