Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Anchorage, Alaska 99513
Tuesady, June 26, 2007 19:30 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The private certificated pilot was conducting a personal local flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The pilot said that during cruise flight the engine started to run rough. He was unable to get the engine to run smoothly, and elected to make a precautionary landing on a grass-covered field. He said the grass was knee to waist high, and the airplane nosed over during the landing roll. The pilot indicated that the wings and rudder were damaged when the airplane nosed over. An aircraft mechanic who examined the airplane after recovery said that during a test run of the engine, the engine appeared to have a malfunctioning magneto. The magneto was sent to a shop for examination, and the technician who examined the magneto, said the upper housing had fractured, allowing the wire-lugs to float internally, and the engine to run rough. He said the damage to the magneto did not appear to be the result of the accident, and that the failure of the upper housing was not uncommon in older airplanes.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The malfunction of an engine magneto during cruise flight, which resulted in a partial loss of engine power, and an on-ground encounter with terrain. A factor associated with the accident was the high vegetation at the off-airport landing site.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/26/2007
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1930
Event Time Zone --
Event City Anchorage
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99513
Event Date Year 2007
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport --
Event Location Nearest Airport ID --
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID --
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Light and Variable
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 22109
NTSB Notification Source FAA Anchorage, ROC
NTSB Notification Date Jun 26 2007 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Aug 30 2007 12:18PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\lema
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Anchorage FSDO-03

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N78456
NTSB Number ANC07LA056
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA-12
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 12-1965
Certified Max Gross Weight 1935
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 3
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Dec 1 2006 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 4149
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Demitrios Deoudes
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Anchorage
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99523
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name --
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City --
Operator State --
Operator Country --
Operator Zip code --
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code PAMR
Departure City Anchorage
Departure State AK
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1910
Departure Time Zone ADT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City Deshka River
Destination State AK
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Landing - roll
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Aug 13 2007 7:51PM
User who most recently changed record STAM
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --