20120706013499A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA-12 · Quinhagak, AK · July 6, 2012

Date: July 6, 2012 · 10:05 local
Place: Quinhagak, AK
Airport: Quinhagak
Phase of flight: Other, Specify
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N7779H
NTSB investigation: NTSBANC12CA072
Reported as: Piper PA-12
Reported engine: Lycoming 0-235 series
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 6,304 total3,450 in this make and model43 in the last 90 days

N7779HRegistered now · Piper PA-12S/N 12-677 · Built 1946 Airframe modelPiper PA-12 Engine modelLycoming 0-235 series4 cycle

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.

About five miles east of Quinhagak, AK, the airman was acting as pilot in command of a PA-12 when he lost control after a balked landing which resulted in a crash and substantial damage to the aircraft. No injuries were sustained by the PIC nor by the passenger. The airman intended to land on a short sandbar, but upon landing the aircraft bounced, floated another 75 feet before touching the ground again. He then applied brakes, but realized a safe and successful landing would not be possible and decided to take off again. After the balked landing, he applied full power, pitched up to a best angle of climb attitude, and made a hard left turn to avoid trees and terrain. The airman apparently stalled the aircraft, lost directional control and he was unable to clear the terrain. The aircraft left wingtip hit the water and the landing gear and bottom of the fuselage impacted the shallow water at the end of the sandbar.

As the FAA filed it

ABOUT FIVE MILES EAST OF QUINHAGAK, AK, THE AIRMAN WAS ACTING AS PILOT IN COMMAND OF A PA-12 WHEN HE LOST CONTROL AFTER A BALKED LANDING WHICH RESULTED IN A CRASH AND SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT. NO INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED BY THE PIC NOR BY THE PASSENGER.THE AIRMAN INTENDED TO LAND ON A SHORT SANDBAR, BUT UPON LANDING THE AIRCRAFT BOUNCED, FLOATED ANOTHER 75 FEET BEFORE TOUCHING THE GROUND AGAIN. HE THEN APPLIED BRAKES, BUT REALIZED A SAFE AND SUCCESSFUL LANDING WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE AND DECIDED TO TAKE OFF AGAIN. AFTER THE BALKED LANDING, HE APPLIED FULL POWER, PITCHED UP TO A BEST ANGLE OF CLIMB ATTITUDE, AND MADE A HARD LEFT TURN TO AVOID TREES AND TERRAIN.THE AIRMAN APPARENTLY STALLED THE AIRCRAFT, LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AND HE WAS UNABLE TO CLEAR THE TERRAIN. THE AIRCRAFT LEFT WINGTIP HIT THE WATER AND THE LANDING GEAR AND BOTTOM OF THE FUSELAGE IMPACTED THE SHALLOW WATER AT THE END OF THE SANDBAR.

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 ANC12CA072Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportQuinhagak, AKThe pilot's failure to use continuous carburetor heat while operating in conditions conducive to carburetor icing, which resulted in the development of carburetor ice and a subsequent partial loss of engine power.Jul 6, 2012 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N7779H · 2

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 19880508055959IFcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise · Ninilchik, AKEmergency landing when encountered adverse weather on VFR flilght. Landed on a seismic trail without incident.May 8, 1988 Incident 19780403009389IFcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise · Eagle River, AKForced landing on highway after engine lost power. Found fuel gasolator contaminated.Apr 3, 1978