- Date
- September 4, 2012, 17:00 local (Sep 5, 2012, 01:00 UTC)
- Place
- Ekwok, AK
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N4127ZPiper PA-18-150
- Defining event
- Initial climb: Miscellaneous/other
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 19, 2012
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- FAA FSDO-03
- FAA report
- 20120904020789A
- Case key
- 84929
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 pilot's diverted attention during the initial climb, which resulted in a collision with trees.
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 pilot was taking off near a river bank in a float-equipped airplane. During the initial climb, the pilot was distracted by the water rudders and looked inside the airplane. During that moment of inattention, the airplane turned toward the river bank and impacted trees. There were no reported preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot was taking off near a river bank in a float-equipped airplane. During takeoff initial climb the pilot was distracted by the water rudders, and looked inside the airplane. During that moment of inattention, the airplane turned toward the river bank, and impacted trees. There were no reported mechanical anomalies with the airplane prior to the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4127Z
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18-150
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-8196
- Airframe hours
- 3,446
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320 SERIES, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Bieri Michael J
- Registered owner
- Bieri Michael J
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 10, 2012
- Departed
- Ekwok, AK
- Destination
- Ekwok, 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
- Pilot
- Age
- 60
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 15, 2011
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 2,175 total · 1,219 in this make and model · 2,052 as pilot in command · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 120° at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 3,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 46 °F
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 27, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 732 KB 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 N4127Z · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.