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20141127022349A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Piper PA-18-150 · Beluga, AK · November 27, 2014

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
November 27, 2014 · 11:47 local
Place
Beluga, AK
Phase of flight
Landing: Approach
Operating rules
Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
Operator
LCWC
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N9720P
NTSB investigation
NTSBANC15LA005
Reported as
Piper PA-18-150
Reported engine
Lycoming 0-320 series
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
2
Pilot’s certificate
Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours
6,800 total5,000 in this make and model100 in the last 90 days
N9720PRegistered now · Piper PA-18-150S/N 18-7509137 · Built 1975Airframe modelPiper PA-18-150Engine 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.

N9720P is a Piper PA18 that crashed approximately 30NM sw of Beluga point airport on 27 nov 2014. There were two on board an Alaska west air, 14CFR part 135 flight that originated in the kenai Alaska area. N9720P was the second aircraft in a flight of two flying to the same destination for the purpose of hunting moose. When attempting to land off-airport, the pilot of the first aircraft stated he experienced a temperature inversion approximately 100 ? 200 feet above ground level and experienced carburetor icing. Both aircraft made a straight in approaches to the landing surface which was described as a ?bench?. Due to engine failure/lack of power the accident aircraft impacted the rising terrain just prior to the landing area. Upon engine dissasembly, it was noted that the airbox indicated the carb heat was in the off position at the time of the accident due to slight metal deformation that locked the carb heat box in position. The lack of carb heat application was confirmed by the pilot in command. No internal engine damage aside from slight bearing wear noted at the time of internal inspection.

As the FAA filed it

N9720P IS A PIPER PA18 THAT CRASHED APPROXIMATELY 30NM SW OF BELUGA POINT AIRPORT ON 27 NOV 2014. THERE WERE TWO ON BOARD AN ALASKA WEST AIR, 14CFR PART 135 FLIGHT THAT ORIGINATED IN THE KENAI ALASKA AREA. N9720P WAS THE SECOND AIRCRAFT IN A FLIGHT OF TWO FLYING TO THE SAME DESTINATION FOR THE PURPOSE OF HUNTING MOOSE. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO LAND OFF-AIRPORT, THE PILOT OF THE FIRST AIRCRAFT STATED HE EXPERIENCED A TEMPERATURE INVERSION APPROXIMATELY 100 ? 200 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL AND EXPERIENCED CARBURETOR ICING. BOTH AIRCRAFT MADE A STRAIGHT IN APPROACHES TO THE LANDING SURFACE WHICH WAS DESCRIBED AS A ?BENCH?. DUE TO ENGINE FAILURE/LACK OF POWER THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE RISING TERRAIN JUST PRIOR TO THE LANDING AREA. UPON ENGINE DISSASEMBLY, IT WAS NOTED THAT THE AIRBOX INDICATED THE CARB HEAT WAS IN THE OFF POSITION AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT DUE TO SLIGHT METAL DEFORMATION THAT LOCKED THE CARB HEAT BOX IN POSITION. THE LACK OF CARB HEAT APPLICATION WAS CONFIRMED BY THE PILOT IN COMMAND. NO INTERNAL ENGINE DAMAGE ASIDE FROM SLIGHT BEARING WEAR NOTED AT THE TIME OF INTERNAL INSPECTION.

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 ANC15LA005Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportNikiski, AKThe total loss of engine power due to carburetor icing, which resulted from the pilot’s failure to use carburetor heat while operating at low-power settings in an area conducive to carburetor icing.Nov 27, 2014 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N9720P · 1

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

Accident 19780813033739AFinal Approach · Caddo Mills, TXAug 13, 1978 · Reported as Piper PA18S125 · Substantial damage