Piper PA 12 N3148M

Summary

On 24 September 2014 at about 23:30 local time, a Piper PA 12 registered N3148M, operated by Matthew Thoft, was involved in an accident near Holy Cross, Alaska, United States. One person was 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

24 September 2014 at 23:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Holy Cross, Alaska, United States

Coordinates

62.2014, -161.5722

Aircraft

Piper PA 12

Registration

N3148M

Category

Airplane

Year built

1947

Engines

1

Operator

Matthew Thoft

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Holy Cross → Holy Cross

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC14CA088

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's selection of unsuitable terrain for takeoff/landing and failure to maintain control of the aircraft.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot was landing on a remote off-airport site in a tailwheel-equipped airplane. He stated that the landing area was on a 15-degree slope. The landing was uneventful, but shortly after stopping the airplane, a gust of wind turned the airplane so the nose was pointing down the hill. The airplane began rolling down the slope, and then nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer, rudder, and wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.