Piper PA 18-150 accident near McCarthy, AK
On June 4, 2015, a Piper PA 18-150 (airplane) was involved in an accident near McCarthy, AK. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: minor.
- Date
- June 4, 2015
- Place
- McCarthy, AK
- Aircraft
- Piper PA 18-150 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Minor
- Position
- 62.100°N, 145.530°W
- NTSB ID
- 20150608X04410
Official records · ANC15LA035
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
On June 4, 2015, about 1100 Alaska daylight time, the pilot-in-command of N985W, a Piper PA-18-150 airplane, was struck by the spinning propeller while attempting to load the airplane, 15 miles east of McCarthy, Alaska. The airplane sustained minor damage and the certificated airline transport pilot sustained fatal injuries. The airplane was registered to Hunter Creek, LLC, and operated by Alaska Cub Training Specialists, Palmer, Alaska, as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 instructional flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and no flight plan was filed. In statements provided to the United States Park Service and National Transportation Safety Board, witnesses stated that four airplanes, flying as a group, had landed at Pevine Bar Airstrip in the Wrangell - St. Elias National Park. To stave off swarms of mosquitos while loading the airplanes, the engines of all four airplanes were started and allowed to operate at idle, with the cockpits unattended. While loading gear on the right side of the airplane, the unoccupied airplane to the left of the accident airplane, also a Piper, PA-18, began slowly moving forward. The pilot of N985W attempted to go around the front of his airplane towards the left wing. Subsequently, the pilot made contact with the back of the spinning propeller, and was struck three times. During an examination of the airplanes by the NTSB investigator-in-charge on August 3, 2015, paint transfers were noted on both airplanes. The left wingtip of N985W (yellow in color) had two areas of scraped fab
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to ensure adequate clearance from the spinning propeller while traversing the area between the leading edge of the wing and the nose of the airplane. Contributing to the accident was the decision to leave the cockpits of the airplanes unattended while the engines were idling and gear was being loaded on board.
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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.
