Pilot Debrief

Piper PA18 near Copalis, WA — 2019-03-30

Final reportWPR19LA105
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Date
2019-03-30
Location
Copalis, WA, USA
Aircraft
Piper PA18
Registration
N215T
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Cruise

Probable cause

An off-airport landing under circumstances that could not be determined based on the available information, which resulted in substantial damage to the airplane.

NTSB narrative

The pilot, who was the owner of the airplane, was conducting a personal cross-country flight to an airport that was a designated section of a sandy ocean beach. Most of the flight was conducted at an altitude of about 2,300 ft, and most of the underlying enroute terrain was inhospitable for landing. The pilot reported that, about 90 minutes into the flight, and 5 minutes after conducting a series of low altitude maneuvers and climbing to about 1,000 ft above the ground, the engine began running roughly and losing power. He said that he activated the carburetor heat, but that did not improve the situation, and he landed the airplane on a logging road in a forest clearing, during which the airplane impacted stumps and debris, resulting in substantial damage. Examination revealed that the airplane was destroyed by fire. There was no evidence of any pre-impact failures or malfunctions. Fire and impact damage prevented determination of the pre-accident condition or functionality of any of the engine components, or of the engine itself. Temperature and dew point values from an airport located about 9.5 miles from the accident site on a graph of carburetor icing potential indicated the potential for serious icing at cruise power. The altitude, speed, and ground track traces of the approach to the logging road, which included level-offs and speed increases, were consistent with a normal traffic pattern flown with an engine developing sufficient power for the entirety of the approach. The fact that both propeller blades were damaged, as well as their damage patterns, also indicated that the engine was developing power. Based on the available information, the circumstances under which the pilot conducted the off-airport landing could not be determined.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Engine power loss
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have diverted to the nearby airport before engine issues worsened.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • ADS-B / radar
  • Photos
  • 18 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents18

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