# Accident 20150131002879A: Piper PA-12, Palmer, AK, January 31, 2015

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 31, 2015, 20:48 local time
- Place: Palmer, AK
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 61.5828° N, 149.0872° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=61.5828&lon=-149.0872&mi=10
- Aircraft: N2370M, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N2370M-2018-10-23) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-12 (registry code 7101202, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-12) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-290 series (registry code 41506, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-290-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-12
- Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Student
- Pilot flight hours: 40 total, 40 in this make and model, 10 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC15LA010](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC15LA010) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20150131002879A

## Narrative

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

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.

## 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 ANC15LA010](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC15LA010), Feb 1, 2015: Piper PA 12 (N2370M), Palmer, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The student pilot’s improper fuel management, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel starvation. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s inadvertent switching of the fuel selector…

## Other reports on N2370M (2)

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

- [Incident 20130817017659I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20130817017659I), Aug 17, 2013: Piper PA-12 (N2370M), Talkeetna, AK, Minor damage. Pilot reported upon touchdown the aircraft pulled strongly to the left. The pilot was able to keep the wings from contacting the ground, but the tires…
- [Incident 19800519053329I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19800519053329I), May 19, 1980: Piper PA12 (N2370M), Beluga Lake Str, AK, Minor damage. Aircraft nosed over while landing on snow-covered strip.

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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