Aviation Accident Summaries

Aviation Accident Summary ANC15LA063

Talkeetna, AK, USA

Aircraft #1

N9265D

PIPER PA 18-150

Analysis

The pilot was returning home after delivering passengers to a remote hunting camp. He recalled flying about 500 ft above ground level and looking at the north side of a mountain. The next thing that he remembered was waking up with a broken leg and the airplane on the ground. He extracted himself from the wreckage and requested assistance via satellite phone. He had no recollection of the events leading up to the accident. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings, the fuselage, and empennage. The pilot noted that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The airplane was not recovered from the accident site.

Factual Information

On August 8, 2015, about 1900 Alaska daylight time, a Piper PA-18-150 airplane, N9265D, was substantially damaged after a loss of control and a subsequent collision with terrain about 45 miles west of Talkeetna, Alaska. The commercial pilot, the sole occupant, sustained serious injuries. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a Federal Aviation Administration flight plan had not been filed for the flight. The pilot stated that he was returning home after dropping off some hunters at a remote hunting camp. During the flight home, flying about 500 feet above ground level, he was looking at the north side of Sleeping Lady mountain. The next thing that he remembered was after the airplane had crashed and he had a broken leg. He extracted himself from the wreckage, found a satellite phone and requested assistance. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings, fuselage, and empennage. A UH-60 helicopter from the Alaska Air National Guard located the accident site on the evening of the accident and transported the pilot to a medical facility for treatment. In the NTSB form 6120.1 submitted by the pilot, he noted that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. He added that the airplane was not recovered from the accident site.

Probable Cause and Findings

Impact with terrain during low-level cruise flight for reasons that could not be determined based on the available information.

 

Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database

Get all the details on your iPhone or iPad with:

Aviation Accidents App

In-Depth Access to Aviation Accident Reports