Piper PA-18-150 accident near Cape Yakataga, AK
On August 16, 2011, a Piper PA-18-150 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Cape Yakataga, AK. 2 people died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- August 16, 2011
- Place
- Cape Yakataga, AK
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-150 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 2 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 60.039°N, 143.586°W
- NTSB ID
- 20110816X95236
Official records · ANC11LA080
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
On August 16, 2011, about 1435 Alaska daylight time, a Piper PA-18-150 airplane, N4205Z, sustained substantial damage when it presumably crashed in the ocean shortly after takeoff from a remote beach site, about 30 miles west of Cape Yakataga, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) personal flight under the provisions of the 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91, when the accident occurred. The pilot and one passenger are presumed to have died at the scene. On August 22, the body of the passenger was discovered in ocean surf, and the pilot remains missing. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flight was most likely returning to a remote cabin near Cape Yakataga. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC) on August 17, the Alaska state trooper that discovered the partially submerged wreckage during a routine aerial shoreline patrol, said that when he first saw the airplane it was about 300 yards offshore, and only a portion of airplane's empennage was above the water. He circled the area to search for survivors, and when none were found, he landed his airplane on a small beach site, close to where the wreckage eventually washed ashore. After wading into the ocean surf, the state trooper was able to look inside of the airplane to search for any occupants, but none were found. The state trooper said that after he departed from the beach to continue the aerial search, a Cessna 206 arrived overhead. A passenger aboard the Cessna r
Probable cause
A collision into water during initial climb after takeoff for undetermined reasons.
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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.
