20150131000802A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Piper PA-18 · Wasilla, AK · January 31, 2015

Date: January 31, 2015 · 13:05 local
Place: Wasilla, AK
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Collision: Midair collision
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N78NR
NTSB investigation: NTSBANC15FA009
Reported as: Piper PA-18
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 1
Pilot’s certificate: Commercial pilot

N78NRRegistered now · Piper PA-18S/N 18-3513 Airframe modelPiper PA-18

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.

At an unknown time N78NR departed birchwood airport (pabv) with intended destination of personal cabin at johnson creek (about 25 miles west of skwentna) at approximately 1305 N78NR collided midair with N82735 near south hollywood airport (67AK). N78NR'S right inboard wing was found within 50 yards of N78NR'S near vertical impact point. The outboard portion of N78NR'S right wing was resting beneath and intertwined with N82735'S left wing. N82735'S propeller had cut the right wing struts of N78NR as aircraft collided.

N78NR 121.5 ELT did activate and broadcast until switched off. ELT and antenna remained attached to fuselage.

Pilot in hospital and in coma.

As the FAA filed it

AT AN UNKNOWN TIME N78NR DEPARTED BIRCHWOOD AIRPORT (PABV) WITH INTENDED DESTINATION OF PERSONAL CABIN AT JOHNSON CREEK (ABOUT 25 MILES WEST OF SKWENTNA) AT APPROXIMATELY 1305 N78NR COLLIDED MIDAIR WITH N82735 NEAR SOUTH HOLLYWOOD AIRPORT (67AK). N78NR'S RIGHT INBOARD WING WAS FOUND WITHIN 50 YARDS OF N78NR'S NEAR VERTICAL IMPACT POINT. THE OUTBOARD PORTION OF N78NR'S RIGHT WING WAS RESTING BENEATH AND INTERTWINED WITH N82735'S LEFT WING. N82735'S PROPELLER HAD CUT THE RIGHT WING STRUTS OF N78NR AS AIRCRAFT COLLIDED.

N78NR 121.5 ELT DID ACTIVATE AND BROADCAST UNTIL SWITCHED OFF. ELT AND ANTENNA REMAINED ATTACHED TO FUSELAGE.

PILOT IN HOSPITAL AND IN COMA.

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 ANC15FA009Accident · Serious injuriesField investigationFinal reportWasilla, AKBoth pilots’ inadequate visual lookout and failure to see and avoid each other while in level cruise flight, which resulted in a midair collision. Contributing to the accident was the obscuration of the other pilot’s visibility due to sun glare.Jan 31, 2015 · 2 aircraft · Substantial damage

Other aircraft in the event · 1

Each aircraft in a collision has its own report.

N82735Piper PA-18-150Accident 20150131000792A · Destroyed

Other reports on N78NR · 2

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

Accident 20000624042589AGo Round (Aborted VFR) · Skwenta, AK(-23) On June 24, 2000 at about 1100 adt, a wheel equipped Piper PA-18 registered to and piloted by jeff b. bara was involved in an accident on an unnamed strip 35 miles northwest of Skwenta, Alaska. According to the pilot, he left birchwood airport bound for…Jun 24, 2000 · Substantial damage Incident 19950216008539ITakeoff Ground Roll · Iliamna, AKNarrative: the pilot of PA-18, N78NR indicated that he was performing a takeoff from the frozen tundra, when the right ski kicked down and caught on a small dirt clump. The right axle bolts sheared off detaching the ski from the aircraft. As it skidded to a…Feb 16, 1995 · Minor damage