Piper PA18 N7675D

Summary

On 29 June 2018 at about 21:07 local time, a Piper PA18 registered N7675D was involved in an accident near Anchorage, Alaska, United States. 3 people were 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

29 June 2018 at 21:07

Classification

Accident

Location

Anchorage, Alaska, United States

Nearest airport

Lake Hood (LHD)

Coordinates

61.1867, -149.9661

Aircraft

Piper PA18

Registration

N7675D

Category

Airplane

Year built

1957

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Rainy Pass

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC18LA051

1 person had minor injuries.

The total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation for reasons that could not be determined, which resulted in impact with and subsequent sliding across terrain.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airline transport pilot stated that he and the pilot-rated passenger fueled the airplane from his private fuel tank at his floatplane slip before the flight and that the preflight inspection and engine run-up were normal. He was conducting a takeoff from the rear seat with a pilot-rated passenger in the front seat. When the airplane was between about 100 and 200 ft above ground level, the engine started to “sputter” and lose power. The pilot attempted to restore power by cycling the throttle to no avail. Realizing he would not be able to land on the water, he turned the airplane to land on a nearby gravel runway. He asked the pilot-rated passenger to check that the fuel selector valve was in the “on” position, and he responded that it was. He could not recall the impact attitude or the impact itself. The passenger’s statement corroborated the pilot’s statement, but he added that the airplane landed with a nose-high attitude and then banked right. Impact ground scars were evident across a gravel taxiway and a grassy area next to the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and wings. The engine was found attached to the airframe and intact, and the fuel and oil lines were secure. Postaccident examination of the engine and fuel system revealed that there was corrosion on the top spark plugs, and no spark could be produced at the leads; however, these were likely caused by the airplane’s exposure to water with the engine cowling off during the 2 months after the accident. No fuel was present in the carburetor or the fuel line from the fuel strainer to the engine. The fuel tanks had sufficient fuel and no water or debris was found in fuel samples from the fuel system or from the pilot’s private fuel tank. One of the propeller blades was found straight with extensive trailing edge impact damage and dirt and grass dried onto the cambered face, indicative of no rotation at impact. No evidence of any preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures were noted with the engine or airframe that would have precluded normal operation. Based on the evidence, it is likely that fuel was not reaching the engine, which led to fuel starvation and a subsequent total loss of engine power.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.