20250228001299A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA18 · Anchor Point, AK · February 28, 2025

Date: February 28, 2025 · 13:30 local
Place: Anchor Point, AK
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N3798Z
NTSB investigation: NTSBANC25LA022
Reported as: Piper PA18
Reported engine: Lycoming 0320
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 1
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 450 total450 in this make and model25 in the last 90 days

N3798ZRegistered now · Piper PA-18-150S/N 18-7493 · Built 1960 Airframe modelPiper PA-18-150 Engine 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.

Pilot returning from anchorage to homer. Weather was sunny with a slight tailwind. Aircraft encountered what the pilot believed to be carb ice. Engaged carb heat and engine alomost stalled. Pilot reduced carb heat and engine continued to run with a lower RPM. After 5-8 minutes engine returned to normal and pilot continued TOWAR4DS homer. After another 10 or so minutes the carb ice condition returned. Pilot initiated carb heat but engine continued to run rough for 3-4 minutes and then quit completely. Pilot was at 600 feet and circled and found an unoccupied dirt road to attempt landing. Landing was initiated however a tail wind made ground speed fast, the road narrow and finally the right wing struck a tree with the aircraft coming to a stop on the side of the road. No fire or evacuation.

Pea

As the FAA filed it

PILOT RETURNING FROM ANCHORAGE TO HOMER. WEATHER WAS SUNNY WITH A SLIGHT TAILWIND. AIRCRAFT ENCOUNTERED WHAT THE PILOT BELIEVED TO BE CARB ICE. ENGAGED CARB HEAT AND ENGINE ALOMOST STALLED. PILOT REDUCED CARB HEAT AND ENGINE CONTINUED TO RUN WITH A LOWER RPM. AFTER 5-8 MINUTES ENGINE RETURNED TO NORMAL AND PILOT CONTINUED TOWAR4DS HOMER. AFTER ANOTHER 10 OR SO MINUTES THE CARB ICE CONDITION RETURNED. PILOT INITIATED CARB HEAT BUT ENGINE CONTINUED TO RUN ROUGH FOR 3-4 MINUTES AND THEN QUIT COMPLETELY. PILOT WAS AT 600 FEET AND CIRCLED AND FOUND AN UNOCCUPIED DIRT ROAD TO ATTEMPT LANDING. LANDING WAS INITIATED HOWEVER A TAIL WIND MADE GROUND SPEED FAST, THE ROAD NARROW AND FINALLY THE RIGHT WING STRUCK A TREE WITH THE AIRCRAFT COMING TO A STOP ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. NO FIRE OR EVACUATION.

PEA

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 ANC25LA022Accident · Minor injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportAnchor Point, AKA complete loss of engine power as a result of carburetor ice due to the pilot’s failure to effectively use carburetor heat in conditions conducive to the formation of carburetor ice.Feb 28, 2025 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N3798Z · 1

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

Incident 19780730047409ILow Level Operations · Broad Pass, AKWhile flying at 30 feet above ground level, encountered down draft and could not stabilize descent.Jul 30, 1978 · Minor damage