PIPER PA 18-150 — Delta Junction, AK

What happened

The commercial pilot was conducting a personal cross-country flight in a single-engine airplane with a passenger. After the airplane failed to arrive at the intended destination, an extensive search was launched; the airplane was located on a knoll consisting of trees and muskeg 3 days after it departed a private airstrip. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and fuselage.

A review of archived weather information for the area about the estimated time of the accident revealed a ceiling between 5,000 ft and 6,000 ft above ground level with forward visibility between 6 and 10 statute miles.

Postaccident examination of the airplane and engine revealed no evidence of preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation. Thus, based on the available evidence, the investigation could not determine the exact cause of the accident.

The emergency locator transmitter was found in the "OFF" position, which prevented the beacon from activating and producing an audible signal, and may have contributed to the length of the search.

An editorial "what led to it / how to avoid it" analysis for this accident is generated separately and will appear here.