Piper PA-18-150 N3774Z

Summary

On 6 May 2010 at about 23:00 local time, a Piper PA-18-150 registered N3774Z, operated by Saalsaa Brad, was involved in an accident near Port Moller, 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

6 May 2010 at 23:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Port Moller, Alaska, United States

Coordinates

55.8728, -161.3167

Aircraft

Piper PA-18-150

Registration

N3774Z

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Saalsaa Brad

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Other Work Use

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Port Moller → Port Moller

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC10CA037

Nobody was injured.

The loss of the left rudder cable retaining bolt during base to final turn, resulting in a loss of control and impact with terrain.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The private pilot was on a local passenger flight in conjunction with a wilderness lodge operating under Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations Part 91, when the accident occurred. The pilot said that during landing at an off-airport site he was in a left base to final turn when the left rudder became unresponsive. He said that he was able to level the wings with the ailerons just before the airplane impacted the ground. The pilot reported that the takeoff and earlier flight had been uneventful, but after the accident he and the passenger noted that the left rudder cable retaining bolt was missing. The left wing and fuselage received substantial damage during the impact with terrain. The pilot reported that the rudder cable connection is routinely inspected prior to every flight, and that prior to the accident flight no discrepancy was noted.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.