Piper PA18 N1268A

Summary

On 9 February 2017 at about 00:03 local time, a Piper PA18 registered N1268A was involved in an accident near Sterling, 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

9 February 2017 at 00:03

Classification

Accident

Location

Sterling, Alaska, United States

Coordinates

60.5103, -150.8506

Aircraft

Piper PA18

Registration

N1268A

Category

Airplane

Year built

1951

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Sterling → Sterling

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC17LA016

1 person was seriously injured.

The pilot’s loss of control while maneuvering for reasons that could not be determined based on the available information.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The private pilot reported that, while making a right turn during a personal flight, the flight controls "stuck." She was unable to make aileron or elevator control inputs, and was also unable to correct the airplane's bank using rudder inputs. The airplane subsequently descended in a right turn until it impacted the ground. The airplane was removed from the accident site before it could be examined. During recovery, both wings and their control cables were cut. The airplane was later examined on the pilot's property, strapped to a trailer. Examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of any control anomalies that would have precluded normal operation; however, since the flight control system was compromised during the recovery, the pre-accident condition of the flight controls could not be determined and the investigation was unable to establish a reason for the pilot's reported loss of control.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.