Piper PA-12 accident near Wasilla, Alaska, May 19, 2000

The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record

The pilot, holder of a student pilot certificate, was departing from a private airstrip with two passengers. A witness reported the airplane encountered a wind shear at tree top level, and crashed on the runway. An Alaska State Trooper responded to the accident scene and spoke with the pilot. The pilot told the trooper that he was planning to go hunting. The pilot said that he had accrued about 300 hours, and he also told the trooper that the airplane's annual inspection was expired. An FAA inspector responded to the accident scene. When he arrived, the pilot, with others assisting, were disassembling the airplane. The inspector reported that the damage to the airplane consisted of wrinkling of both sides of the fuselage. In addition, the airplane had damage to the right wing lift strut, the main landing gear was folded upward under the airplane, and the propeller was bent. The inspector said that the pilot refused to talk with him about the accident. The NTSB IIC received a telephone call from the pilot later the day of the accident. When asked about the details of the accident, the pilot refused to provide his name or any additional information. The NTSB Northwest Field Office received an NTSB Pilot/Operator report from the pilot's address of record. The form was unsigned, and indicated that after takeoff, the airplane lost lift when the wind direction changed at tree-top level. The takeoff was then aborted. FAA records indicate the pilot received a private pilot certificate six days after the accident.

The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.