# Accident 20181102016869A: Piper PA-12, Willow, AK, November 2, 2018

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: November 2, 2018, 20:00 local time
- Place: Willow, AK
- Airport: Willow
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 61.8594° N, 150.1261° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=61.8594&lon=-150.1261&mi=10
- Aircraft: N3227M, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N3227M) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-12 (registry code 7101202, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-12) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-12
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 1
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport, commercial pilot, private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 2,787 total, 50 in this make and model, 50 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC19LA005](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC19LA005) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20181102016869A

## Narrative

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

MISHAP PILOT (MP) WAS PRACTICING TOUCH AND GOES AT PRIVATE GRAVEL STRIP. HE HAD STOPPED FOR LUNCH. SECOND FLIGHT OF THE DAY HE TOOK OFF AND THE ENGINE BACKFIRED AND THEN QUIT. HE SWITCHED THE FUEL SELECTOR TO BOTH BUT THE ENGINE WOULD NOT RESTART.

AIRCRAFT WAS APPROXIMATELY 2-300' ABOVE THE GROUND. MP STATED HE TRIED TO RESTART BUT HAD VERY LITTLE TIME. HE LOOKED FOR A PLACE TO LAND BUT THERE WAS NONE. HE SLOWED TO BEST SPEED JUST PRIOR TO AIRCRAFTS RIGHT WING HITTING A TREE. AIRCRAFT HIT FLAT BUT PILOT DOES NOT REMEMBER THE FINAL FEW SECONDS OF THE CRASH.

PILOT WAS VERY HELPFUL AND FORTHCOMING IN HIS INTERVIEW.

TWO WITNESSES HEARD THE ENGINE BACKFIRE AND THE CRASH.

AN EYE WITNESS COULD NOT RECALL WHAT HE HEARD, JUST THE PLANE GOING DOWN INTO THE WILLOW TREES.

PILOT WAS WELL RESTED AND HAD GOOD EXPERIENCE IN THE AIRCRAFT.

WHILE NEW TO TAIL WHEEL AIRCRAFT HE HAS MANY PILOT HOURS IN HELICOPTERS AND OTHER FIXED WING AIRCRAFT.

VERY POSITIVE AND COMPLIANT ATTITUDE.

AIRCRAFT WAS SEEN FLYING VERY LOW WHEN ITS WING PITCHED UP AND IT CRASHED INTO THE WILLOW TREES.

AIRCRAFT WAS BEING WORKED ON AND, APPARENTLY/UNVERIFIED, HAD JUST TAKEN OFF FROM LOCAL LAKE WHERE ENGINE ADJUSTMENTS HAD JUST BEEN MADE.

## 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 ANC19LA005](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC19LA005), Nov 2, 2018: Piper PA 12 (N3227M), Willow, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The loss of engine power shortly after takeoff for reasons that could not be determined based on the available information, which resulted in an emergency landing and collision with trees.

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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