# Accident 20120616012699A: Piper PA-18, Willow, AK, June 16, 2012

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 16, 2012, 05:30 local time
- Place: Willow, AK
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Rollout
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 61.7000° N, 150.3167° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=61.7000&lon=-150.3167&mi=10
- Aircraft: N1203A (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-18
- Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-290 SERIES
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 15,000 total, 10,000 in this make and model, 75 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC12CA052](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC12CA052) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20120616012699A

## Narrative

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

ON 6/16/2012, THE ALASKA REGIONAL OPERATIONS CENTER RECEIVED A REPORT FROM THE ALASKA STATE TROOPERS OF A PIPER PA-18 AIRPLANE THAT WAS FOUND SIGNIFICANTLY DAMAGED AT THE BIG LAKE, AK AIRPORT.  THE TROOPERS WERE TOLD THE AIRPLANE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT NEAR THE MOUTH OF THE DESHKA RIVER AND WAS MOVED TO THE BIG LAKE ALASKA AIRPORT BY HELICOPTER.ON MONDAY, JUNE 18, 2012, THE FAA IIC CONTACTED THE HELICOPTER COMPANY BY TELEPHONE.  A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE HELICOPTER COMPANY TOLD THE FAA IIC THE AIRPLANE WAS EXTRACTED NEAR THE CONFLUENCE OF THE DESHKA AND SUSTITNA RIVERS FOLLOWING AN ACCIDENT.  THE OWNER OF THE AIRPLANE CONTRACTED THE COMPANY TO MOVE THE AIRPLANE FOR HIM.ON MONDAY 6/18/2012 THE OWNER, WITH THE DAMAGED AIRPLANE LOADED ON A TRAILER, MOVED THE AIRPLANE FROM THE BIG LAKE AIRPORT TO HOLLIDAY'S AIRCRAFT REPAIR LOCATED AT THE BIRCHWOOD, AK AIRPORT.DURING A TELEPHONE INTERVIEW ON 6/19/2012,^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ TOLD THE FAA IIC THAT^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS THE PILOT IN COMMAND (PIC) AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.  HE SAID HE HAD LANDED AT A SMALL OFF-AIRPORT LANDING STRIP AT THE MOUTH OF THE DESHKA RIVER ON SATURDAY 6/16/2012 AT ABOUT 5:30 AM AK LOCAL TIME.  HE FURTHER STATED HE HAD ONE PASSENGER ON BOARD AT THE TIME AND HIS PURPOSE FOR LANDING THERE WAS TO GO FISHING.  ACCORDING TO THE PIC AFTER TOUCH DOWN AND DURING LANDING ROLLOUT, THE AIRPLANE'S RIGHT WING STRUCK A SMALL TREE RESULTING IN A LOSS OF CONTROL WHICH CAUSED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO THE AIRPLANE.  THE PIC STATED THAT WEATHER WAS VMC AT THE TIME.  ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, THE SUN WAS SHINING DIRECTLY IN HIS FACE CAUSING HIM TO HAVE DIFFICULTY WITH SEEING DURING THE FLIGHT'S LANDING PHASE.  HE SAID IN HINDSIGHT, BECAUSE THE SUN WAS IMPAIRING THE VISIBILITY OF THE LANDING STRIP, HE SHOULD HAVE DISCONTINUED THE LANDING.  HE FURTHER STATED HE COULD NOT HAVE MADE A SAFE APPROACH AND LANDED IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION BECAUSE OF THE HEIGHT OF TREES FROM THAT DIRECTION.ON 6/20/2012, THE FAA IIC AND ANOTHER ASI FROM AL03 TRAVELED TO THE BIRCHWOOD AIRPORT TO MEET WITH THE PIC AND EXAMINE HIS PILOT AND MEDICAL CERTIFICATES ALONG WITH THE AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE AND MAINTENANCE RECORDS. ALL PRESENTED WAS FOUND TO BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH 14 CFR.

## 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 ANC12CA052](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC12CA052), Jun 16, 2012: Piper PA-18 (N1203A), Willow, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's decision to land on an unsuitable landing surface into bright sunlight, which resulted in a loss of control.

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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