ANC99LA094

The commercial pilot stated in his NTSB Pilot/Operator report that he hand-propped the airplane. When the engine started, the throttle was farther forward than the pilot expected, and the plane began to move. The pilot said he attempted to hang on, but was unable to do so as the airplane accelerated. The airplane became airborne, then crashed into the ocean near the beach, sustaining substantial damage to the wings and fuselage.

On July 18, 1999, about 1900 Alaska daylight time, a tundra tire equipped Piper PA-18 airplane, N3675P, sustained substantial damage when it impacted ocean waters, about 19 miles south of Teller, Alaska, at 64 degrees 58.5 minutes north latitude, 166 degrees 39.4 minutes west longitude. The solo commercial pilot was not on board the airplane when the accident occurred. The flight was being operated under 14 CFR Part 91 as a Visual Flight Rules (VFR) personal flight, returning to Nome, Alaska, from an off airport, beach landing site. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. No flight plan was filed.

According to the FAA inspector who interviewed the pilot on July 20, and the statement written by the pilot in his NTSB Pilot/Operator report, the pilot had loaded the airplane to return to Nome. He was starting the airplane by hand-propping the engine from outside the airplane. The pilot indicated the throttle was advanced farther than he realized, and when the engine started, the airplane began to move. The pilot said he attempted to hold onto the airplane, but was unable to do so. When he let go, the airplane became airborne, then crashed into the water near the beach. He was reported overdue by a relative, and located by the crew of an Alaska National Guard helicopter about 2100, on July 19.

The pilot indicated on his most recent medical certificate, July 1987, that his total flight time was 2,000 hours. He did not provide any pilot flight time information in his NTSB Pilot/Operator report.