19960920029059A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA-18-150 · Minto, AK · September 20, 1996

Date: September 20, 1996 · 16:30 local
Place: Minto, AK
Phase of flight: Level Off Touchdown
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N241WH
NTSB investigation: NTSBANC96FA161
Reported as: Piper PA18150
Reported engine: Lycoming O320A2B
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 1
Pilot’s flight hours: 700 total

N241WHRegistered now · Piper PA-18-150S/N 18-816 · Built 1951 Airframe modelPiper PA-18-150 Engine modelLycoming 0-320 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(.4)The pilot was going to land the float equipped airplane in the area to pick up fellow hunters. Witnesses saw the airplane fly low over trees and make a bank to align with the landing area on the water. They heard the engine power increase, saw the nose of the airplane rise, watched as the airplane banked 60 degrees to the right, and then saw the airplane crash nose low into the water. The wind in the area was blowing approximately 20 knots. Witnesses also stated that below tree top level, the wind was not perceptible.

As the FAA filed it

(.4)THE PILOT WAS GOING TO LAND THE FLOAT EQUIPPED AIRPLANE IN THE AREA TO PICK UP FELLOW HUNTERS. WITNESSES SAW THE AIRPLANE FLY LOW OVER TREES AND MAKE A BANK TO ALIGN WITH THE LANDING AREA ON THE WATER. THEY HEARD THE ENGINE POWER INCREASE, SAW THE NOSE OF THE AIRPLANE RISE, WATCHED AS THE AIRPLANE BANKED 60 DEGREES TO THE RIGHT, AND THEN SAW THE AIRPLANE CRASH NOSE LOW INTO THE WATER. THE WIND IN THE AREA WAS BLOWING APPROXIMATELY 20 KNOTS. WITNESSES ALSO STATED THAT BELOW TREE TOP LEVEL, THE WIND WAS NOT PERCEPTIBLE.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB ANC96FA161Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportMinto, AKthe pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions, while maneuvering to land, which resulted in inadequate airspeed for conditions, an inadvertent stall, and collision with terrain (water).Sep 21, 1996 · Substantial damage