- Date
- April 29, 2012, 17:00 local (Apr 30, 2012, 01:00 UTC)
- Place
- Palmer, AK
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N8976DPiper PA-18-150
- Defining event
- Initial climb: Aerodynamic stall/spin
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 9, 2012
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- FAA FSDO-03
- FAA report
- 20120429007199A
- Case key
- 83509
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The student pilot did not maintain sufficient airspeed during a steep turn after takeoff, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The student pilot was practicing takeoffs and landings at an off-airport site. After departing a sandbar, he made a steep turn, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and impact with terrain. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wing spar and landing gear. The pilot reported no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The student pilot was practicing takeoffs and landings at off airport site. After departing a sandbar, he made a steep turn, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and impact with terrain.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8976D
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18-150
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-6416
- Airframe hours
- 7,746
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320 SERIES, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Williams Sheryl L
- Registered owner
- Williams Sheryl L
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 5, 2012
- Departed
- PALH · Anchorage, AK
- Destination
- PALH · Anchorage, AK
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 16
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 455 total · 390 in this make and model · 40 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 150° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 52 °F, dew point 27 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.54 inHg
- Observed at
- PAAQ, 15 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 27, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.7 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N8976D · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.