Piper PA-12 N3688M
5 August 1995 · Ketchikan, Alaska, United States · No injuries
Summary
On 5 August 1995 at about 02:00 local time, a Piper PA-12 registered N3688M was involved in an accident near Ketchikan, Alaska, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 02:00
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Ketchikan, Alaska, United States
- Coordinates
- 55.6105, -131.5800
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-12
- Registration
- N3688M
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Cordova Bay → Ward Cove
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- ANC95LA130
People
Nobody was injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Probable cause
THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PREPARATION AND THE WATER IN THE AIRPLANE'S FUEL SYSTEM. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE ROUGH WATER IN THE FORCED LANDING AREA.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
THE PILOT STATED HE WAS IN CRUISE FLIGHT WHEN THE ENGINE STOPPED PRODUCING POWER. HE MADE A FORCED LANDING AND LANDED HARD IN ROUGH WATER. THE LANDING DAMAGED THE FLOATS AND BROKE A LOWER LONGERON. THE AIRPLANE SANK AFTER DRIFTING FOR 30 MINUTES. THE PILOT STATED THAT PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT, THE AIRPLANE SAT ON THE GROUND FOR A LONG TIME IN NEED OF MAINTENANCE. DURING THE PREFLIGHT HE FOUND WATER IN THE FUEL SYSTEM. WHEN HE DRAINED THE GASCOLATOR HE THOUGHT THE FLUID WAS ALL FUEL BECAUSE IT WAS THE SAME COLOR. EXAMINATION OF THE FUEL SYSTEM, AFTER THE AIRPLANE WAS RECOVERED, SHOWED WATER IN THE GASCOLATOR AND THE CARBURETOR FUEL BOWL.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Piper PA-12 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Apr 1995 | Piper PA-12 | Soldotna, Alaska, United States | Alaska Flying Network | No injuries | - |
| 17 Jul 1995 | Piper PA-12 | Anchorage, Alaska, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 21 Jul 1995 | Piper PA-12 | Anchorage, Alaska, United States | John F. Strong | Serious injuries | - |
| 10 Sep 1995 | Piper PA-12 | Anchorage, Alaska, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 17 Sep 1995 | Piper PA-12 | Aniak, Alaska, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 8 Jul 1995 | Piper PA-12 | Meriden, Connecticut, United States | - | No injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 Apr 1995 | Cessna 180B | Cantwell, Alaska, United States | - | Fatal | 2 |
| 21 May 1995 | Cessna 150 | Wasilla, Alaska, United States | Alaska Air Academy | Fatal | 1 |
| 3 Jun 1995 | Piper J3C-65 | Palmer, Alaska, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 8 May 1995 | Piper PA-18 | Chugiak, Alaska, United States | Peter J. Kust | Fatal | 2 |
| 21 Jun 1995 | De Havilland DHC-2 | Nondalton, Alaska, United States | - | Fatal | 5 |
| 25 Jun 1995 | Piper PA-31 | Valdez, Alaska, United States | - | Fatal | 4 |