Piper PA-22-150 N7637D

Summary

On 26 December 2007 at about 19:58 local time, a Piper PA-22-150 registered N7637D, operated by Forest M. Kirst, was involved in an accident near North Pole, Alaska, United States. 2 people were 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.

Date

26 December 2007 at 19:58

Classification

Accident

Location

North Pole, Alaska, United States

Nearest airport

Bradley Sky-Ranch Airport (95Z)

Coordinates

65.7653, -147.3905

Aircraft

Piper PA-22-150

Registration

N7637D

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Forest M. Kirst

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Fairbanks → Fairbanks

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Dusk

NTSB number

ANC08LA030

Nobody was injured.

A loss of engine power for an undetermined reason during an attempted go-around, resulting in a forced landing and a collision with snow-covered terrain. A factor associated with the accident was the lack of suitable terrain for a forced landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

A certificated flight instructor (CFI) was providing flight instruction to a student pilot during civil twilight. The CFI reported that while on approach to an unlighted, snow-covered gravel runway, he instructed the student pilot to go-around when he realized that the airplane was not lined up with the runway. He said that his verbal command to immediately applying full engine power and initiate a go-around was followed, but the engine did not respond. The CFI took control of the airplane, confirmed that the throttle was at maximum, and then he landed the airplane in the deep snow. As the main and nose wheels touched down in the deep snow, the airplane decelerated rapidly, and the nose landing gear collapsed. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and wings. An FAA airworthiness inspector reported that his postaccident inspection of the airplane disclosed a number of maintenance deficiencies, but found none that would have accounted for the loss of engine power.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.