At about 12:00 Alaska daylight time, a tundra tire-equipped Piper PA-12 sustained substantial damage during takeoff from a private airstrip. The pilot, who held a student pilot certificate, and passenger received minor injuries, while a second passenger was not injured. The pilot refused to talk to an FAA inspector and refused to provide his name or discuss the details of the accident with the NTSB investigator-in-charge. The accident was reported by the president of the homeowners association where the airstrip is located, who notified the Alaska State Troopers office and talked to the NTSB. The homeowners association president told the NTSB that the pilot reported encountering wind shear during takeoff and subsequently crashing on the runway. The Alaska State Trooper who responded to the accident obtained the names of the occupants of the airplane. The trooper reported to the NTSB that the pilot, who claimed about 300 hours flight experience, had planned to fly to Cordova to go hunting. The trooper also said the pilot told him that the airplanes annual inspection was expired.
May 19, Wasilla, Alaska / Piper Super Cruiser
At about 12:00 Alaska daylight time, a tundra tire-equipped Piper PA-12 sustained substantial damage during takeoff from a private airstrip. The pilot, who held a student pilot certificate, and passenger received minor injuries, while a second passenger was not injured. The pilot refused to talk to an FAA inspector and refused to provide his name or discuss the details of the accident with the NTSB investigator-in-charge. The accident was reported by the president of the homeowners association where the airstrip is located, who notified the Alaska State Troopers office and talked to the NTSB. The homeowners association president told the NTSB that the pilot reported encountering wind shea...
Key Takeaways:
- A Piper PA-12 sustained substantial damage and caused minor injuries during a takeoff crash, reportedly due to wind shear, involving a student pilot and two passengers.
- The student pilot refused to cooperate with federal investigators (FAA/NTSB) but later admitted to an Alaska State Trooper that the aircraft's annual inspection was expired.
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