Piper PA-18 N1620A

Summary

On 31 August 2012 at about 21:00 local time, a Piper PA-18 registered N1620A, operated by Beaver David W, was involved in an accident near Healy, 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

31 August 2012 at 21:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Healy, Alaska, United States

Coordinates

64.1250, -147.7844

Aircraft

Piper PA-18

Registration

N1620A

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Beaver David W

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Clear → Healy

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC12CA109

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's selection of unsuitable terrain for takeoff, resulting in an aborted takeoff and collision with terrain.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot was departing uphill from a remote off-airport site. The rough and gravel-covered site was about 600 feet long, with soft vegetation, and 25- to 30-foot-tall trees about 150 feet beyond the departure end. The wind was variable with moderate gusts. When the pilot realized that he did not have enough airspeed or remaining runway to clear the trees at the departure end of the site, he aborted the takeoff. The airplane subsequently overran the southeast end of the site, into an area of tree-covered, rough and uneven terrain, sustaining substantial damage to the fuselage, wings, and empennage. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical anomalies with the airplane prior to the accident that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.