Piper PA-18-125 accident near Cordova, Alaska, October 20, 2012
On October 20, 2012 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-18-125, registered N3360P, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Cordova, Alaska. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from terrain during takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 20, 2012 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Cordova, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-125 · all PA-18-125s on the register
- Registration
- N3360P · registry record · serial 18-391
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
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.
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.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Loss of visual reference during takeoff defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during takeoff
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Tree(s) › Response/compensation
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Light condition › Glare › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 5,608 hours in all; 442 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: August 11, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,360 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 6, 2012
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Cordova AK at 5:30 pm
- Destination: AK19 Talkeetna AK
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 41°F (5°C), dew point 16°F (-9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from PACV, 27 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.