Piper PA-18-150 N82016

Summary

On 2 September 2012 at about 18:30 local time, a Piper PA-18-150 registered N82016, operated by Parsons Charlie C, was involved in an accident near Coldfoot, Alaska, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

2 September 2012 at 18:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Coldfoot, Alaska, United States

Coordinates

68.1339, -149.4753

Aircraft

Piper PA-18-150

Registration

N82016

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Parsons Charlie C

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Deadhorse → Bettles

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC12LA097

1 person was seriously injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from terrain while maneuvering to reverse course.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot was on a personal cross-country flight through a mountain pass. He later reported that upon reaching the pass, the terrain elevation was climbing faster than his airplane, and the weather in the pass was worse than expected. He then decided to turn the airplane around and exit the pass the way he had come. As he made the turn, the terrain continued to rise and it was apparent he wasn't going to make the turn, so he stalled the airplane while trying to out climb terrain. The airplane subsequently impacted terrain, sustaining substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. The pilot said there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.