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20150604008722A

Accident · Minor damage
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FAA accident report · Piper PA-18-150 · Mccarthy, AK · June 4, 2015

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
June 4, 2015 · 11:00 local
Place
Mccarthy, AK
Airport
Peavine Bar
Phase of flight
Ground/Ramp/Ma
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Collision
Collision on the ground
Damage
Minor damage
Aircraft
N985W
NTSB investigation
NTSBANC15LA035
Reported as
Piper PA-18-150
Reported engine
Lycoming 0-320 series
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificates
Airline transport, commercial pilot, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours
12,000 total2,000 in this make and model210 in the last 90 days
N985WRegistered now · Piper PA-18-150S/N 18-7609 · Built 1961Airframe 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.

On June 4, 2015, about 1100 Alaska daylight time, the pilot-in-command of N985W, a Piper PA-18-150 airplane, was struck by the spinning propeller while attempting to load the airplane, 15 miles east of Mccarthy, Alaska. The airplane sustained minor damage and the certificated airline transport pilot sustained fatal injuries.

In statements provided by the united states park service, airman and witnesses, it was stated that four airplanes, flying as a group, had landed at Peavine Bar airstrip in the wrangell - st. elias national park. To warm the engine oil and to stave off swarms of mosquitos while loading the airplanes, the engines of all four airplanes were started and allowed to operate at idle, with the cockpits unattended.

While loading gear on the right side of the airplane, the airplane to the left of the accident airplane (N57532), also a Piper, PA-18, began slowly moving forward. The pilot of N985W attempted to go around the front of his airplane towards the left wing to prevent the two airplanes from making contact. Subsequently, the pilot ran into the back of the spinning propeller resulting in fatal injuries.

As the FAA filed it

ON JUNE 4, 2015, ABOUT 1100 ALASKA DAYLIGHT TIME, THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND OF N985W, A PIPER PA-18-150 AIRPLANE, WAS STRUCK BY THE SPINNING PROPELLER WHILE ATTEMPTING TO LOAD THE AIRPLANE, 15 MILES EAST OF MCCARTHY, ALASKA. THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINED MINOR DAMAGE AND THE CERTIFICATED AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES.

IN STATEMENTS PROVIDED BY THE UNITED STATES PARK SERVICE, AIRMAN AND WITNESSES, IT WAS STATED THAT FOUR AIRPLANES, FLYING AS A GROUP, HAD LANDED AT PEAVINE BAR AIRSTRIP IN THE WRANGELL - ST. ELIAS NATIONAL PARK. TO WARM THE ENGINE OIL AND TO STAVE OFF SWARMS OF MOSQUITOS WHILE LOADING THE AIRPLANES, THE ENGINES OF ALL FOUR AIRPLANES WERE STARTED AND ALLOWED TO OPERATE AT IDLE, WITH THE COCKPITS UNATTENDED.

WHILE LOADING GEAR ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE AIRPLANE, THE AIRPLANE TO THE LEFT OF THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE (N57532), ALSO A PIPER, PA-18, BEGAN SLOWLY MOVING FORWARD. THE PILOT OF N985W ATTEMPTED TO GO AROUND THE FRONT OF HIS AIRPLANE TOWARDS THE LEFT WING TO PREVENT THE TWO AIRPLANES FROM MAKING CONTACT. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE PILOT RAN INTO THE BACK OF THE SPINNING PROPELLER RESULTING IN FATAL INJURIES.

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 ANC15LA035Accident · 1 fatalLimited investigationFinal reportMcCarthy, AKThe pilot's failure to ensure adequate clearance from the spinning propeller while traversing the area between the leading edge of the wing and the nose of the airplane. Contributing to the accident was the decision to leave the cockpits of the airplanes…Jun 4, 2015 · Minor damage

Other aircraft in the event · 1

Each aircraft in a collision has its own report.

N57532Piper PA-18-150No report for this aircraft in the release

Other reports on N985W · 1

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

Accident 20080303012729ATo Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct) · Farewell Lake, AK(-23) Aircraft took off from Farewell Lake in the direction of Farewell lodge. The pilot reported that at fifty feet in the air the aircraft was not able to maintain a positive rate of climb. The aircraft hit a tree with the left wing then the aircraft hit an…Mar 3, 2008 · Substantial damage