# Accident 20110904024739A: Piper PA-12, North Pole, AK, September 4, 2011

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 4, 2011, 16:10 local time
- Place: North Pole, AK
- Airport: Airway
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 64.7706° N, 147.3336° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=64.7706&lon=-147.3336&mi=10
- Aircraft: N78463, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N78463) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-12 (registry code 7101202, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-12) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-12
- Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 2
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 353 total, 280 in this make and model, 53 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC11CA094](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC11CA094) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20110904024739A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS PIC OF THE PA-12 FLOATPLANE THAT ATTEMPTED A NW TAKE-OFF FROM A 2400 FT. POND LOCATED ADJACENT TO AIRWAY AIRPORT (5AK3) IN NORTH POLE, AK.  ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ ABORTED THE FIRST TAKE-OFF THEN ELECTED TO ATTEMPT TO TAKE-OFF IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION TO THE SE.  ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ BECAME AIRBORNE BUT WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT CLIMB RATE TO CLEAR THE OBSTACLES (TREES AND ELECTRICAL WIRES) AT THE END OF THE POND.  ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ STATED THAT HE HAD FULL POWER IN BUT DID NOT THINK THAT THE AIRCRAFT WOULD CLEAR THE TREES AT THE END OF THE POND.  HE THEN PULLED AFT ON THE AIRCRAFT'S FLIGHT CONTROL STICK WITH BOTH HANDS.  THE AIRCRAFT STALLED AND STRUCK THE WATER AT A STEEP ANGLE OF DESCENT.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB ANC11CA094](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC11CA094), Sep 5, 2011: Piper PA-12 (N78463), North Pole, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed during takeoff, resulting in an aerodynamic stall and collision with the water.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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