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Aircraft Incident |
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Photo by John Rader, 17th TAS Pilot |
This is a common occurrence in
Alaska. Pilots
flying in Alaska have a very high fatality rate. It is estimated that during a pilot’s 30-year career,
there is a one in eight chance of one being fatally injured. This is a Piper PA-18A 150
Super Cub, built in 1959. This aircraft
was departing Elmendorf enroute to Hope, Alaska. According to the NTSB, the cause of the accident was Pilot
error—the pilot in command failed to obtain or maintain flying speed and
stalled the aircraft. The Cub
was crunched after the pilot attempted the look around maneuver while
navigating in foggy conditions at the Sixmile Strip on Elmendorf AFB. It made a large divot just a few yards from the yellow and white C-170
(in background) owned by John Rader and Bill Drasky. |