# NTSB ANC08LA077: Piper PA-18, N91256, Willow, AK, June 21, 2008 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 20, 2008, 16:00 local (Jun 21, 2008, 00:00 UTC) - Place: Willow, AK - Coordinates: 61.930557, -150.378616 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=61.9306&lon=-150.3786&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Takeoff: Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report December 11, 2008 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - Parties: FAA-AL-ANC FSDO 03 - NTSB case key (mKey): 68307 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC08LA077 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/68307/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC08LA077 ## Probable cause A partial loss of engine power during an aborted landing for an undetermined reason, which resulted in a collision with terrain and subsequent nose over. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Aircraft](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01050000): Aircraft › Aircraft power plant · Malfunction (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-18-150, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01050000/cases.md?model=7101828), [All aircraft, 151 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01050000/cases.md) - [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-18-150, 9 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=7101828), [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md) - [Terrain](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021000): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Contributed to outcome; cases with it: [Piper PA-18-150, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021000/cases.md?model=7101828), [All aircraft, 267 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021000/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Takeoff: Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-18-150, 13 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md?model=7101828), [All aircraft, 1,858 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md) - [Takeoff: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Piper PA-18-150, 115 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=7101828), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) - [Takeoff: Nose over/nose down](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096); cases with it: [Piper PA-18-150, 83 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md?model=7101828), [All aircraft, 2,287 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot was planning to land on a gravel bar, and he said that he first made a low pass over the landing area. When he added power to climb, the engine responded without hesitation. On his next approach to the gravel bar, he said that he touched down, but was not satisfied with his placement, and decided to abort the landing. He added engine power to takeoff, but the engine sputtered. The airplane skipped across an area of water and collided with an embankment and trees, about 400 feet from the initial aborted landing spot. The airplane nosed over, and received structural damage to the wings. The airplane and engine were not examined by NTSB or FAA personnel. ## Factual narrative On June 20, 2008, about 1600 Alaska daylight time, a tundra tire-equipped Piper PA-18 airplane, N91256, sustained substantial damage when it collided with an embankment and trees during an aborted landing at a remote gravel bar, about 16.5 miles west-northwest of Willow, Alaska. The airplane was being operated by the pilot as a visual flight rules (VFR) cross-country personal flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The private certificated pilot, and the sole passenger, were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), on June 24, the pilot reported that he was landing toward the east on a gravel bar in the area of Neil Lake. He said that he first made a low pass over the landing area, and when he added power to climb, the engine responded without hesitation. On his next approach to the gravel bar, he said that he touched down, but was not satisfied with his placement, and decided to abort the landing. He added engine power to takeoff, but the engine sputtered. The airplane skipped across an area of water and collided with an embankment and trees, about 400 feet from the initial aborted landing spot. The airplane nosed over, and received structural damage to the wings. The airplane and engine were not examined by NTSB or FAA personnel. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N91256](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N91256), registered now, S/N 18-8309006, built 1983 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA-18 - Registry model: [Piper PA-18-150](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-18-150) (registry code 7101828) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 18-8309006 - Airframe hours: 3063 - Engines: Lycoming O-320A2B 150 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Kyle P. Carr - Registered owner: Kyle P. Carr - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, December 20, 2007, 24 hours before - Departed: Palmer, AK - Destination: Willow, AK ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 39; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land, single-engine sea; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; last flight review March 9, 2007; seat: front; flight hours: 650 total, 45 in this make and model, 600 as pilot in command, 45 in the last 90 days, 18 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 180° at 3 knots - Visibility: 20 statute miles - Temperature: 55 °F ## 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 20080620841039A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20080620841039A), Jun 20, 2008: Piper PA18150, Substantial damage. (-23) Pilot reported that he was landing toward the east on a gravel bar in the area of neil lake. He said that he first made a low pass over the landing area,… 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.