Piper PA-12 N4028H

Summary

On 29 March 2001 at about 18:00 local time, a Piper PA-12 registered N4028H was involved in an accident near Cooper Landing, Alaska, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

29 March 2001 at 18:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Cooper Landing, Alaska, United States

Coordinates

67.2408, -161.1896

Aircraft

Piper PA-12

Registration

N4028H

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Cordova → Homer

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC01LA044

1 person was seriously injured.

The pilot's continued VFR flight into instrument metrological conditions during cruise flight. Factors associated in the accident were low ceilings, whiteout conditions, and snow-covered terrain.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The certificated commercial pilot was flying the first airplane in a flight of two airplanes over an area of snow-covered terrain. He said that as the flight progressed, weather conditions worsened as they entered an area of mountainous terrain. He said that as both airplanes progressed along the intended route, weather conditions were about 300 feet overcast, and visibility about 3 miles. The accident pilot said that as he flew over a large and featureless snow-covered lake, he was maintaining visual reference to the ground by using terrain features on the lake shoreline on the right side of the airplane. He reported that as weather conditions worsened, he radioed the second airplane that he was turning around. He began a left turn, and during the turn, he said he lost all visual reference to the frozen, snow-covered lake. He added that he was able to level the wings just before colliding with the surface of the snow-covered lake.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.