- Date
- August 12, 1990, 00:01 local (08:01 UTC)
- Place
- Cathedral Rapid, AK
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N92512Piper PA-12
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 18, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19900812038139A
- Case key
- 5468
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 failure to maintain adequate altitude above the terrain which resulted in a loss of airspeed and a stall/spin while maneuvering to avoid terrain. The mountainous terrain, high winds, and high density altitude were factors which contributed to the accident.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
After missing for 2 years, the wreckage was found on 8/21/92 at the 4,700-FT level of a mountain, about 200 ft below a mountain pass. The student pilot and passenger had been looking for sheep hunting areas. Some mountain peaks in the area rise to heights above 8,000 ft asl. The crash site was 23 nautical miles east of mount kimball which is 10,350 ft asl. Impact damage was indicative of a stall/spin accident. Local pilots reported very high winds in the area on the day of the accident. Time of accident is presumed.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N92512
- Reported as
- Piper PA-12
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 12-35
- Airframe hours
- 1,401
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-A2B, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Richard A. Seltenreich
- Registered owner
- Anderson, John W.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 10, 1990
- Departed
- GKN · Gulkana, AK
- Destination
- TKJ · Tok, 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
- 35
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Flight hours
- 200 total · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 300° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 30 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 61 °F
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 N92512 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.