- Date
- July 6, 2001, 19:30 local (Jul 7, 2001, 00:30 UTC)
- Place
- Stillwater, MN
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N78495Piper PA-12
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report May 21, 2002
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA, Minneapolis FSDO
- FAA report
- 20010706018019A
- Case key
- 53264
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 loss of engine power for undermined reasons and the unsuitable terrain encountered during the forced landing. Additional factors included the power line and the trees.
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
A floatplane impacted a tree during a forced landing after a loss of engine power. The pilot reported he was climbing out northbound over the river and he, "Made a left bank and engine quit. Leveled wings after losing altitude. Looked and did my engine failure flow and nothing came back. I couldn't make it to the river due to a large tree. I avoided power lines and road and stalled it into some smaller trees and brush. The plane landed upside down." Inspection of the airplane revealed no preimpact anomalies of the engine or airframe.
Factual narrative
On July 6, 2001, at 1930 central daylight time, a Piper PA-12 floatplane, N78495, sustained substantial damage when it impacted a tree during a forced landing after a loss of engine power while maneuvering about 700 feet agl. The airline transport rated pilot and one passenger received minor injuries. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight departed Surfside Lino-Lakes seaplane base (8Y4), Rice Lake, Minnesota, at 1815, and was en route to Balsam Lake, Wisconsin. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed.
The pilot reported he was climbing out north of Stillwater, Minnesota, and was northbound over the St. Croix River. The pilot reported he, "Made a left bank and engine quit. Leveled wings after losing altitude. Looked and did my engine failure flow and nothing came back. I couldn't make it to the river due to a large tree. I avoided power lines and road and stalled it into some smaller trees and brush. The plane landed upside down. I released my seatbelt and my son's seatbelt and noticed fuel leaking and immediately departed the accident. At point of impact is hard to tell if some power came back."
An inspection of the airframe and engine revealed it had 6.5 quarts of oil and residual fuel was found in the carburetor. There was thumb compression on all cylinders and the left magneto sparked on all leads. The exhaust system checked normal and the flame tube was in position and secure. The carburetor inlet was clear and the venturi was is place. The fuel system was compromised.
At 1956, the observed weather at St. Paul, Minnesota, located about 17 miles south of the accident, was: winds 170 degrees at 8 knots, sky clear, visibility 10, temperature 84 degrees F, dew point 61 degrees F, altimeter 29.77.
According to the Transport Canada "Carburetor Icing Chart", the existing weather conditions were in the region of "Serious Icing-Descent Power."
Aircraft
- Registration
- N78495
- Reported as
- Piper PA-12
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 12-3906
- Airframe hours
- 1,802
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-A2B, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Byron R. Sax
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 4, 2001 · 10 hours before
- Departed
- 8Y4 · Rice Lake, MN
- Destination
- Balsam Lake, WI
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
- 33
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Last flight review
- December 1, 2000
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 8,600 total · 500 in this make and model · 125 in the last 90 days · 49 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- 170° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.77 inHg
- Observed at
- STP, 17 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.
Other investigations on N78495 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.