# Accident 20210328005359A: Piper PA-18A, Anchorage, AK, March 28, 2021

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 28, 2021, 16:30 local time
- Place: Anchorage, AK
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 61.1761° N, 149.9436° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=61.1761&lon=-149.9436&mi=10
- Aircraft: N1968P, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N1968P) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-18A (registry code 7101804, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-18a) (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-18A
- Reported engine: LYCOMING O-320
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 1
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport
- Pilot flight hours: 4,217 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC21FA028](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC21FA028) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20210328005359A

## Narrative

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

PILOT'S TOTAL TIME IN A PA18(ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT) IS 12 HOURS WITH NO RECENT TIME IN THE AIRCRAFT. THIS FLIGHT WAS TO REGAIN CURRENCY IN THE PA18.

THE PILOT WAS WELL RESTED, HE HAD BEEN ON VACATION FOR A MONTH PRIOR TO THIS FLIGHT. HE HAD SLEPT-IN LATE AND ARRIVED AT THE AIRCRAFT AT 2PM. HE WAS NOT FEELING RUSHED.  HE DEPARTED LAKE HOOD SKI STRIP AROUND 3:20PM AND FLEW TO WILLOW LAKE. HE MADE SEVERAL TOUCH AND GO LANDINGS ON THE LAKE AND WAS RETURNING TO LAKE HOOD FOR PARKING. HE WAS OPERATING THE AIRCRAFT ON THE RIGHT FUEL TANK. IN THE VICINITY OF POINT MACKENZIE THE PILOT SWITCHED FROM THE RIGHT FUEL TANK TO THE LEFT FUEL TANK. HE WAS AT 1200 FEET MID CHANNEL WHEN HE STARTED HIS DECENT FOR LANDING TO LAKE HOOD. HE WAS FOLLOWING A SECOND AIRCRAFT AND STATED THAT HE HAD A LOW POWER SETTING TO ALLOW ADDITIONAL SPACE BETWEEN HIM AND THE LANDING TRAFFIC. ON SHORT FINAL THE ENGINE ROLLED BACK (THE ENGINE QUIT) 4:30PM. TOTAL FLIGHT TIME WAS JUST OVER AN HOUR AT THIS POINT. THE PILOT DID NOT HAVE SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE OR AIRSPEED TO LAND AT LAKE HOOD. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO LAND ON SPENARD ROAD. THE AIRCRAFT?S LEFT WING HIT A LIGHT POLE AND THE AIRCRAFT HIT SLIGHTLY LEFT SIDE NOSE FIRST. THE PILOT SUSTAINED A CUT TO HIS HEAD AND INJURY TO HIS LEG THAT REQUIRED SURGERY.  THE LEFT WING WAS PULLED BACK BY THE IMPACT AND TWO OF THE FUEL LINES FROM THE LEFT TANK DISCONNECTED AND POURED FUEL OUT INTO THE COCKPIT OF THE AIRCRAFT.

INVESTIGATION - BOTH WING TANKS HAD APPROXIMATELY  4 GALLONS OF FUEL. THE PA18 FUEL SELECTOR POINTS AT THE OFF POSITION AND WHATEVER TANK IS SELECTED. THE FUEL  SELECTOR KNOB HAS A LARGE END ON ONE SIDE AND A SMALL ARROW ON THE OPPOSITE END THAT SHOWS WHAT POSITIONS IT IS IN. WHEN THE ARROW POINTS AT EITHER THE LEFT OR RIGHT TANK THE LARGE END OF THE SELECTOR POINTS AT OFF. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE PILOT INADVERTENTLY SELECTED THE OFF POSITION WHEN ATTEMPTING TO SELECT THE LEFT FUEL TANK. GIVEN THE LOW POWER SETTING THE ENGINE WOULD HAVE CONTINUED TO RUN BUT IT IS UNKNOWN FOR HOW LONG. THE PILOT STATED THAT AFTER THE ENGINE QUIT RUNNING HE MOVED THE FUEL SELECTOR TO THE RIGHT TANK AND MOVED THE SELECTOR AGAIN AFTER THE ACCIDENT TO THE OFF POSITION.  NTSB IS LOOKING INTO PULLING THE ENGINE FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION. NTSB HAS A VIDEO OF THE ACCIDENT FROM A HOTEL SECURITY CAMERA. NTSB IS LOOKING INTO OTHER POSSIBLE CAUSES FOR THE ENGINE TO QUIT RUNNING. INSPECTION OF ENGINE FOUND BOTH THROTTLE AND MIXTURE CABLES WERE STILL CONNECTED. THE GASCOLATOR HAD CLEAN FUEL AND WAS FREE OF DEBRIS. WE SAW NO BLOCKAGES IN THE FUEL SYSTEM. THE CARBURETOR HAD A CRACK FROM THE IMPACT. IT WAS CLEAN, NO BLOCKAGES, DEBRIS OR GUMMY SUBSTANCES FOUND. COMPRESSION APPEARED GOOD IN ALL CYLINDERS. NO DETERMINATION ON WHY THE ENGINE QUIT AT THIS TIME.

## 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 ANC21FA028](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC21FA028), Mar 29, 2021: Piper PA-18A (N1968P), Anchorage, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: A total loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined based on the available evidence.

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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