- Date
- May 28, 2023, 16:00 local (May 29, 2023, 00:00 UTC)
- Place
- McGrath, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N7712HPiper PA-12
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Ground collision
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20230528007829A
- Case key
- 192349
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 delayed decision to abort the takeoff, which resulted in a forced landing and impact with terrain.
Findings · 3
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 reported that he was attempting to depart from an off-airport location. He normally departed downhill into the wind, but the wind direction had shifted. He elected to depart up the hill into the wind. At the end of the runway the airplane lifted off the ground but was not climbing fast enough to avoid the rising terrain. The pilot chose to land, the airplane touched down on the tundra and nosed down. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7712H
- Reported as
- Piper PA-12
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 12-604
- Built
- 1946
- Airframe hours
- 2,636.6
- Engine
- Lycoming O320-C1A, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 26, 2023 · 50 hours before
- Equipment
- None
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
- 46
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- December 10, 2022
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 528.2 total · 528.2 in this make and model · 500.1 as pilot in command · 47.5 in the last 90 days · 32.75 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 250° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,600 ft broken
- Temperature
- 52 °F, dew point 41 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.45 inHg
- Observed at
- PAMC
- METAR
- PAMC 290002Z AUTO 25008KT 10SM BKN026 BKN034 OVC041 11/05 A2945 RMK AO2 T01110050 TSNO
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 20, 2023, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.1 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 N7712H · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.