Piper PA-18 N3935Z

Summary

On 1 May 2000 at about 14:30 local time, a Piper PA-18 registered N3935Z was involved in an accident near Kotzebue, Alaska, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

1 May 2000 at 14:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Kotzebue, Alaska, United States

Coordinates

67.2409, -161.1907

Aircraft

Piper PA-18

Registration

N3935Z

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Kivalina → Kotzebue

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC00FA052

1 person died.

The pilot's continued VFR flight into instrument meteorological conditions, and his failure to maintain control of the airplane due to spatial disorientation. Factors in the accident were weather conditions consisting of low ceilings, fog, a whiteout, and the pilot's lack of certification.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot, the holder of an expired student pilot certificate, departed a remote village with a load of whale meat. The route of flight was along the coast of the Bering Sea, over snow-covered terrain, adjacent to snow-covered sea ice. The weather conditions along the route consisted of low ceilings with areas of fog and snow showers. The pilot did not file a flight plan. He was not reported overdue, and no ELT signal was received from the airplane. The wreckage was discovered by passing villagers about 3/4 mile inland from the coastline. The airplane collided with terrain and came to rest inverted. No preimpact mechanical malfunction was discovered. According to relatives, the pilot, who was not an aviation mechanic, maintained the airplane himself, and no maintenance records were located.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.