What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
PA-12 N2370M, serial number 12-1613, operating under 14 CFR part 91, was significantly damaged while attempting an emergency landing due to engine failure while in the traffic pattern of Palmer airport, Palmer Alaska. While in the downwind portion of the pilot?s third stop-and-go circuit, the engine began to run rough, sputtered and quit. The pilot did not attempt to return to the airport but chose to attempt an off-airport landing in a field located .33 NM south west of the approach end of runway 34 at the Palmer airport. The pilot could not land in this field due to excess height agl/energy so a landing site was located further east. Between these two landing sites is a road that is orientated north and south with power lines. The aircraft struck, severed and became entangled with the power lines causing the aircraft to stop immediately after impact with the ground. The impact caused the landing gear to collapse and fold upward crushing the lower fuselage area. That damage did not penetrate into the pilot?s foot compartment area. The pilot stated that after the engine failure he ?pulled carb heat and changed fuel tanks? From the left to the right tank, prior to impacting the power lines. Upon exiting the aircraft, the pilot turned off the master switch and selected the off position for the ignition. He stated that he did not move or touch anything else.
As the FAA filed it
PA-12 N2370M, SERIAL NUMBER 12-1613, OPERATING UNDER 14 CFR PART 91, WAS SIGNIFICANTLY DAMAGED WHILE ATTEMPTING AN EMERGENCY LANDING DUE TO ENGINE FAILURE WHILE IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN OF PALMER AIRPORT, PALMER ALASKA. WHILE IN THE DOWNWIND PORTION OF THE PILOT?S THIRD STOP-AND-GO CIRCUIT, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH, SPUTTERED AND QUIT. THE PILOT DID NOT ATTEMPT TO RETURN TO THE AIRPORT BUT CHOSE TO ATTEMPT AN OFF-AIRPORT LANDING IN A FIELD LOCATED .33 NM SOUTH WEST OF THE APPROACH END OF RUNWAY 34 AT THE PALMER AIRPORT. THE PILOT COULD NOT LAND IN THIS FIELD DUE TO EXCESS HEIGHT AGL/ENERGY SO A LANDING SITE WAS LOCATED FURTHER EAST. BETWEEN THESE TWO LANDING SITES IS A ROAD THAT IS ORIENTATED NORTH AND SOUTH WITH POWER LINES. THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK, SEVERED AND BECAME ENTANGLED WITH THE POWER LINES CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO STOP IMMEDIATELY AFTER IMPACT WITH THE GROUND. THE IMPACT CAUSED THE LANDING GEAR TO COLLAPSE AND FOLD UPWARD CRUSHING THE LOWER FUSELAGE AREA. THAT DAMAGE DID NOT PENETRATE INTO THE PILOT?S FOOT COMPARTMENT AREA. THE PILOT STATED THAT AFTER THE ENGINE FAILURE HE ?PULLED CARB HEAT AND CHANGED FUEL TANKS? FROM THE LEFT TO THE RIGHT TANK, PRIOR TO IMPACTING THE POWER LINES. UPON EXITING THE AIRCRAFT, THE PILOT TURNED OFF THE MASTER SWITCH AND SELECTED THE OFF POSITION FOR THE IGNITION. HE STATED THAT HE DID NOT MOVE OR TOUCH ANYTHING ELSE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N2370M · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.