Piper PA-18-125 N3360P

Summary

On 20 October 2012 at about 22:30 local time, a Piper PA-18-125 registered N3360P was involved in an accident near Cordova, 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.

Date

20 October 2012 at 22:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Cordova, Alaska, United States

Coordinates

61.2414, -147.0444

Aircraft

Piper PA-18-125

Registration

N3360P

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Cordova → Talkeetna

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC13CA006

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from terrain during takeoff.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot was departing from a tidal beach in a tailwheel-equipped airplane. During the takeoff roll, the pilot stated that he lost visual reference through the windscreen because the sun was in his eyes and that he allowed the right wingtip to contact some alder brush, which forced the airplane to ground loop. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and the left horizontal stabilizer. The pilot indicated that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.