# NTSB ANC01LA044: Piper PA-12, N4028H, Cooper Landing, AK, March 29, 2001 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: March 29, 2001, 14:00 local (18:00 UTC) - Place: Cooper Landing, AK - Coordinates: 67.24076, -161.189575 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=67.2408&lon=-161.1896&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - Status: Completed, report February 20, 2002 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 52005 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC01LA044 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/52005/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC01LA044 ## Probable cause The pilot's continued VFR flight into instrument metrological conditions during cruise flight. Factors associated in the accident were low ceilings, whiteout conditions, and snow-covered terrain. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight encounter with weather, cruise - vfr flight into imc - continued, pilot in command (cause) - terrain condition - snow covered (contributing factor) - weather condition - low ceiling (contributing factor) - weather condition - whiteout (contributing factor) - In flight collision with terrain/water, maneuvering - turn to reverse direction - terrain condition - snow covered ## Analysis The certificated commercial pilot was flying the first airplane in a flight of two airplanes over an area of snow-covered terrain. He said that as the flight progressed, weather conditions worsened as they entered an area of mountainous terrain. He said that as both airplanes progressed along the intended route, weather conditions were about 300 feet overcast, and visibility about 3 miles. The accident pilot said that as he flew over a large and featureless snow-covered lake, he was maintaining visual reference to the ground by using terrain features on the lake shoreline on the right side of the airplane. He reported that as weather conditions worsened, he radioed the second airplane that he was turning around. He began a left turn, and during the turn, he said he lost all visual reference to the frozen, snow-covered lake. He added that he was able to level the wings just before colliding with the surface of the snow-covered lake. ## Factual narrative On March 29, 2001, about 1400 Alaska standard time, a tundra tire equipped Piper PA-12 airplane, N4028H, sustained substantial damage during a collision with a snow-covered frozen lake, about 8 miles south-southwest of Cooper Landing, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) cross-country personal flight when the accident occurred. The solo certificated commercial pilot received serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed in the area of the accident. The flight originated at the Cordova Airport, Cordova, Alaska, about 1230. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge on April 2, the pilot reported that he was flying the first airplane in a flight of two airplanes, en route to Homer, Alaska. He said that as the flight progressed, weather conditions worsened soon after they passed over Seward, Alaska, and entered an area of mountainous terrain. He said that as both airplanes flew northwest, along the Resurrection River, weather conditions were about 300 feet overcast, and visibility about 3 miles. The accident pilot said that as he flew over a large and featureless snow-covered lake, he was maintaining visual reference to the ground by using terrain features on the lake shoreline on the right side of the airplane. He reported that as weather conditions worsened, he radioed the second airplane that he was turning around. He began a left turn, and during the turn, he said he lost all visual reference to the frozen, snow-covered lake. He added that he was able to level the wings just before colliding with the surface of the snow-covered lake. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings, fuselage, and landing gear. The pilot sustained a broken left leg. In the pilot's written report to the NTSB dated July 5, 2001, the pilot reported that as he made the left turn, he attempted to slow the airplane, and land on the frozen lake. He said that the airplane landed hard on the ice, which destroyed the landing gear, and left wing. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N4028H](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N4028H), registered now, S/N 12-3456, built 1947 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA-12 - Registry model: [Piper PA-12](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-12) (registry code 7101202) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-235 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-235-series) (registry code 41505, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 12-3456 - Airframe hours: 4000 - Engines: Lycoming O-320-A1A 150 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Brad C. Heil - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, March 2, 2001, 50 hours before - Departed: CDV, Cordova, AK - Destination: HOM, Homer, AK ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 40; injuries: serious; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review March 23, 1999; seat: front; flight hours: 10,000 total, 5,000 in this make and model, 10,000 as pilot in command ## Weather - Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Day - Visibility: 3 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 300 ft overcast ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20010329039769A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010329039769A), Mar 29, 2001: Piper PA12, Cooper Landing, AK, Substantial damage. (-23) Accident happened 8 miles southwest of Cooper Landing on upper russian lake. Weather worsened after entering mountainous terrain soon after passing… 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.