20030331007239A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA-18-150 · Port Alsworth, AK · March 31, 2003

Date: March 31, 2003 · 18:00 local
Place: Port Alsworth, AK
Phase of flight: Final Approach
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N8106Y
NTSB investigation: NTSBANC03LA040
Reported as: Piper PA18150
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 11,000 total7,000 in this make and model50 in the last 90 days

N8106YRegistered now · Piper PA-18-150S/N 18-8588 · Built 1966 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.

(-23) Mr. Davis on final approach to an off airport bush strip reduced power to land and on short final encountered a slight downdraft, tried to add power and there was no response with the increase of throttle. The aircraft touched down approximately 50 yards short of the runway causing substantial damage to the aircraft with no injuries. The rebuilt engine and carburetor were recently installed and Mr. Davis said the throttle linkage on the carburetor was sticky with the engine running but he thought it was getting better. After the accident the carburetor was removed and sent to the NTSB who had it tested and there were no defects found.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) MR. DAVIS ON FINAL APPROACH TO AN OFF AIRPORT BUSH STRIP REDUCED POWER TO LAND AND ON SHORT FINAL ENCOUNTERED A SLIGHT DOWNDRAFT, TRIED TO ADD POWER AND THERE WAS NO RESPONSE WITH THE INCREASE OF THROTTLE. THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN APPROXIMATELY 50 YARDS SHORT OF THE RUNWAY CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT WITH NO INJURIES. THE REBUILT ENGINE AND CARBURETOR WERE RECENTLY INSTALLED AND MR. DAVIS SAID THE THROTTLE LINKAGE ON THE CARBURETOR WAS STICKY WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING BUT HE THOUGHT IT WAS GETTING BETTER. AFTER THE ACCIDENT THE CARBURETOR WAS REMOVED AND SENT TO THE NTSB WHO HAD IT TESTED AND THERE WERE NO DEFECTS FOUND.

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 ANC03LA040Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportPort Alsworth, AKA loss of engine power for an undetermined reason. A contributing factor in the accident was the lack of suitable terrain for a forced landing.Mar 31, 2003 · Substantial damage