What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On February 6, 2001, about 1510 ast, a ski equipped Piper PA-12 airplane, N3334M, sustained substantial damage during a collision with snow-covered terrain about 6.5 miles south-southeast of Anvik, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) cross-country personal flight, when the accident occurred. The airplane was operated and owned by the pilot, a licensed private pilot. The pilot received a broken leg, one passenger has facial cuts and the third person had no injuries at all. Instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) prevailed in the area of the accident. During an interview with the FAA (iic) on February 27, 2001, the pilot reported that when he departed grayling, the weather was calm and estimated the visibility at 15 miles plus. While proceeding past Anvik they encountered fog and after making two turns for weather and decided to continue, and descend for better visibility. Shortly ater, the aircraft struck the ground causing it to pitch up. On recovery, the aircraft started into a stall/spin striking the river ice in a rotating motion. The aircraft came to rest with the right wing bent back about 3" with a broken front spar at the attach point, and the tail bent around the fuselage touching the right aileron from the rear. The engine broke away to the left, and both gear legs were sheared off. Forecasted weather report; scattered clouds 2,500' isolated ceilings below 1,000' visibility below 3 statute miles. (AWOS) @ Anvik at 1515 ast wind 260/03 KTS; visibility 10 statue miles; sky conditions 200' scattered; temperature 23 degrees f; altimeter 30.07 in hg.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON FEBRUARY 6, 2001, ABOUT 1510 AST, A SKI EQUIPPED PIPER PA-12 AIRPLANE, N3334M, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING A COLLISION WITH SNOW-COVERED TERRAIN ABOUT 6.5 MILES SOUTH-SOUTHEAST OF ANVIK, ALASKA. THE AIRPLANE WAS BEING OPERATED AS A VISUAL FLIGHT RULES (VFR) CROSS-COUNTRY PERSONAL FLIGHT, WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE AIRPLANE WAS OPERATED AND OWNED BY THE PILOT, A LICENSED PRIVATE PILOT. THE PILOT RECEIVED A BROKEN LEG, ONE PASSENGER HAS FACIAL CUTS AND THE THIRD PERSON HAD NO INJURIES AT ALL. INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC) PREVAILED IN THE AREA OF THE ACCIDENT. DURING AN INTERVIEW WITH THE FAA (IIC) ON FEBRUARY 27, 2001, THE PILOT REPORTED THAT WHEN HE DEPARTED GRAYLING, THE WEATHER WAS CALM AND ESTIMATED THE VISIBILITY AT 15 MILES PLUS. WHILE PROCEEDING PAST ANVIK THEY ENCOUNTERED FOG AND AFTER MAKING TWO TURNS FOR WEATHER AND DECIDED TO CONTINUE, AND DESCEND FOR BETTER VISIBILITY. SHORTLY ATER, THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE GROUND CAUSING IT TO PITCH UP. ON RECOVERY, THE AIRCRAFT STARTED INTO A STALL/SPIN STRIKING THE RIVER ICE IN A ROTATING MOTION. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST WITH THE RIGHT WING BENT BACK ABOUT 3" WITH A BROKEN FRONT SPAR AT THE ATTACH POINT, AND THE TAIL BENT AROUND THE FUSELAGE TOUCHING THE RIGHT AILERON FROM THE REAR. THE ENGINE BROKE AWAY TO THE LEFT, AND BOTH GEAR LEGS WERE SHEARED OFF. FORECASTED WEATHER REPORT; SCATTERED CLOUDS 2,500' ISOLATED CEILINGS BELOW 1,000' VISIBILITY BELOW 3 STATUTE MILES. (AWOS) @ ANVIK AT 1515 AST WIND 260/03 KTS; VISIBILITY 10 STATUE MILES; SKY CONDITIONS 200' SCATTERED; TEMPERATURE 23 DEGREES F; ALTIMETER 30.07 IN HG.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.