Piper PA-18 accident near Talkeetna, AK
On September 11, 2008, a Piper PA-18 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Talkeetna, AK. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- September 11, 2008
- Place
- Talkeetna, AK
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 1 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 62.405°N, 148.794°W
- NTSB ID
- 20080917X01489
Official records · ANC08LA122
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
On September 10, 2008, about 1630 Alaska daylight time, a Piper PA-18 airplane, N7174K, sustained substantial damage during an in-flight collision with terrain and postcrash fire, about 40 miles east of Talkeetna, Alaska. The airplane was being operated by the pilot as a visual flight rules (VFR), local other work use flight, in conjunction with his hunting guide business, under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The commercial pilot received fatal injuries, and the sole passenger received serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The airplane departed the Talkeetna Airport, Talkeetna, about 1600. The airplane was reported overdue on September 10, when it failed to return to Talkeetna for a second passenger. Weather and darkness precluded a search of the area until September 11. On September 11, searchers located the airplane's wreckage, and the deceased pilot. The search continued for the passenger, until he was located about 5 miles from the accident site, trying to find help. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC) on September 12, the passenger said he and the pilot took off from the Talkeetna Airport looking for caribou to hunt, and a site to setup a hunting camp. He said they were about 40 miles east of Talkeetna, and started to circle a likely camp site. He said the airplane was in a left circling turn, and the turn became tighter, and the angle of bank became steeper. The passenger said at one point the angle of bank suddenly be
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain sufficient airspeed to preclude a stall while maneuvering at a low altitude, resulting in an uncontrolled descent and collision with terrain.
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Browse: Alaska · Piper aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
