# NTSB ANC19LA005: Piper PA 12, N3227M, Willow, AK, November 2, 2018 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: November 1, 2018, 16:30 local (Nov 2, 2018, 00:30 UTC) - Place: Willow, AK - Coordinates: 61.859443, -150.126113 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=61.8594&lon=-150.1261&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Initial climb: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - Status: Completed, report June 29, 2020 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - Parties: FAA, Lycoming Engines - NTSB case key (mKey): 98596 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC19LA005 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/98596/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=98596 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC19LA005 ## Probable cause The loss of engine power shortly after takeoff for reasons that could not be determined based on the available information, which resulted in an emergency landing and collision with trees. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-12, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=7101202), [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md) - [Object/animal/substance: tree(s)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022020): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Contributed to outcome; cases with it: [Piper PA-12, 7 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022020/cases.md?model=7101202), [All aircraft, 933 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022020/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Initial climb: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-12, 12 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=7101202), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Piper PA-12, 7 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=7101202), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: 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 According to the pilot, during the initial climb on the personal flight, the engine backfired and then lost total power. He was unable to restore power, and during the subsequent off-airport forced landing, the airplane collided with a stand of trees, which resulted in substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. A mechanic/friend of the pilot stated that this was the first flight after engine maintenance, during which he and the pilot had been troubleshooting for excessive magneto drops and a cold cylinder. He added that they had just reinstalled the fine wire spark plugs after cleaning them. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that all spark plugs exhibited normal operational signatures with no defects or anomalies noted. Both magnetos produced spark at all terminals as designed. The impulse coupler inside the left magneto was fractured, but that did not preclude the magneto from sparking. Additionally, the wiring harness from the ignition switch to the magnetos was frayed and separated. However, it could not be determined if the separation occurred as a result of the accident. Thus, the reason(s) for the loss of engine power could not be determined. ## Factual narrative On November 1, 2018, about 1630 Alaska daylight time, a Piper PA-12 airplane, N3227M, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing, following a total loss of engine power about 8 miles northwest of Willow Airport (PAUO) near Willow, Alaska. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 visual flight rules flight when the accident occurred. The commercial pilot sustained serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed for the local area flight. The flight had departed a private airstrip located about 1 mile east of the accident location at about 1629. According to the pilot, during the initial climb, the engine popped three times "like a backfire", and then lost all power. He switched from operating on the left fuel tank to the right fuel tank and applied the carburetor heat, but the engine failed to respond. Subsequently, during the forced landing into trees, the airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. A friend of the pilot stated that this was the first flight following engine maintenance, where he, an airframe and powerplant mechanic, and the pilot had been troubleshooting for excessive magneto drops and a cold cylinder. He added that, they had just reinstalled the fine wire spark plugs after cleaning them. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge, along with another NTSB investigator conducted a post-accident examination of the airplane following recovery. The spark plugs and rocker arm covers were removed from the engine and all spark plugs exhibited normal operational signatures with no defects or anomalies noted. The crankshaft was rotated by hand and thumb compression and suction were obtained on all four cylinders, and continuity was established throughout the engine and valvetrain. The wiring from the ignition switch to the magnetos was frayed and separated. It could not be determined if the separation happened before the accident or as a result of the accident. Both magnetos were removed from the engine and tested at Alaskan Aircraft Engines in Anchorage, Alaska. Both magnetos produced spark at all terminals as designed. Neither distributor was fractured, however the impulse coupler inside the left magneto was fractured but that did not preclude the magneto from sparking. The ignition harness was removed from the airplane and sent to Continental Motors for testing. The ignition switch was connected to a magneto synchronizer box (Model E50). The key was rotated through the OFF, L, R, and BOTH positions of the ignition switch with normal function observed. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N3227M](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N3227M), registered now, S/N 12-2108, 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 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 12-2108 - Year built: 1947 - Airframe hours: 3738.83 - Engines: Lycoming O-320 SERIES 150 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, May 20, 2018, 53 hours before - Departed: UUO, Willow, AK - Destination: UUO, Willow, AK - Airport: UUO, Willow - Equipment: Satellite tracking device ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 50; injuries: serious; airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, single-engine sea; instrument ratings: airplane, helicopter; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review July 28, 2018; seat: front; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 2,838.8 total, 51.4 in this make and model, 2,766.3 as pilot in command, 40.5 in the last 90 days, 11.6 in the last 30 days, 1.2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 19 °F, dew point 12 °F - Altimeter: 29.73 inHg - Observed at: PAWS, 24 nm away ## 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 20181102016869A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20181102016869A), Nov 2, 2018: Piper PA-12, Willow, AK, Substantial damage. Mishap pilot (mp) was practicing touch and goes at private gravel strip. He had stopped for lunch. Second flight of the day he took off and the engine… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 4, 2020, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=98596. 6.6 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 3.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40480478&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation (item 2, .PDF, 587 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40480479&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Statement%20of%20Party%20Representatives%20to%20NTSB%20Investigation-Master.PDF - Photos (item 3, .PDF, 2.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40480480&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photos-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.