# NTSB ANC12CA072: Piper PA-12, N7779H, Quinhagak, AK, July 6, 2012 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: July 6, 2012, 09:05 local (17:05 UTC) - Place: Quinhagak, AK - Coordinates: 59.774444, -161.769729 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=59.7744&lon=-161.7697&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Initial climb: Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report November 26, 2012 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - Parties: FAA Anchorage FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 84257 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC12CA072 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/84257/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=84257 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC12CA072 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to use continuous carburetor heat while operating in conditions conducive to carburetor icing, which resulted in the development of carburetor ice and a subsequent partial loss of engine power. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Use of equip/info: use of equip/system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-12, 10 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015/cases.md?model=7101202), [All aircraft, 1,391 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015/cases.md) - [Temp/humidity/pressure: conducive to carburetor icing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031030): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Decision related to condition (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-12, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031030/cases.md?model=7101202), [All aircraft, 435 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031030/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-aborted after touchdown: Miscellaneous/other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900); cases with it: [Piper PA-12, 7 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900/sequence.md?model=7101202), [All aircraft, 1,556 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900/sequence.md) - [Initial climb: Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-12, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md?model=7101202), [All aircraft, 1,858 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md) - [Initial climb: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Piper PA-12, 42 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=7101202), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot stated that he was landing his tailwheel-equipped airplane at an off-airport site. During the landing roll, he aborted the landing but was unable to clear terrain at the departure end of the site, about 400 feet from where he aborted the landing. The airplane impacted the ground, sustaining substantial damage to both wings and the fuselage. The pilot indicated that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. In his written statement to the NTSB, the pilot stated that the engine may not have been producing full power but, if so, he did not realize it or take any corrective action, such as applying carburetor heat. In a telephone conversation, he said that he had been flying at reduced power settings during his reconnaissance passes, with occasional use of carburetor heat to clear any possible carburetor ice. He also stated that his normal before-landing procedure is to turn off the carburetor heat on short final. According to a carburetor icing probability chart, an airplane operating in the ambient conditions at the accident site, as reported by the pilot, could expect a serious risk of carburetor icing while at cruise power. ## Factual narrative In a telephone conversation with the National Transportations Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge just after the accident, the pilot stated that he was landing his tailwheel-equipped airplane at an off-airport site. During the landing roll he aborted the landing, but he was unable to clear terrain at the departure end of the site, about 400 feet from where he aborted the landing. The airplane impacted terrain, sustaining substantial damage to both wings, and the fuselage. The pilot indicated that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. In his written statement to the NTSB, the pilot stated that the engine may not have been producing full power, but he did not realize it, or take any corrective action for application of carburetor heat. In a telephone conversation on August 23, he said had been flying at reduced power settings during his reconnaissance passes, with occasional use of carburetor heat to clear any possible carburetor ice. He also stated that his normal before-landing procedure is to turn off the carburetor heat on short final. According to a carburetor icing probability chart, an airplane operating in the ambient conditions at the accident site, reported by the pilot, could expect serious carburetor icing while at cruise power. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N7779H](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N7779H), registered now, S/N 12-677, built 1946 (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: 12-677 - Airframe hours: 4390 - Engines: LYCOMING O-320 SERIES 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, June 28, 2012, 9 hours before - Departed: Togiak, AK - Destination: Quinhagak, AK ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 56; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine sea, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review September 23, 2010; seat: front; flight hours: 6,304 total, 3,450 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 1,200 ft broken - Temperature: 45 °F, dew point 43 °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 20120706013499A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20120706013499A), Jul 6, 2012: Piper PA-12, Quinhagak, AK, Substantial damage. About five miles east of Quinhagak, AK, the airman was acting as pilot in command of a PA-12 when he lost control after a balked landing which resulted in a… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 5, 2012, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=84257. 697 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 610 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40378004&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Record of Conversation - Pilot (July 6, 2012) (item 2, .PDF, 43 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40378005&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%20-%20Pilot%20(July%206,%202012)-Master.PDF - Record of Conversation - Pilot (August 23, 2012) (item 3, .PDF, 44 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40378006&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%20-%20Pilot%20(August%2023,%202012)-Master.PDF 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.