N1155C – PIPER PA-18-135 – 2012-02-12 NTSB Accident Report

On February 12, 2012, a Piper PA-18-135 (N1155C) was involved in an accident near Concrete, WA. The accident resulted in 1 minor injury, with 1 person uninjured out of 2 aboard. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.

The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this accident to be: The pilot did not attain and maintain sufficient altitude to clear terrain while maneuvering.

The pilot reported that while flying, he observed injured snowmobilers waving for help. After radioing for assistance, the pilot gathered emergency supplies from within the airplane and prepared to air drop the supplies to the snowmobilers and configured the airplane for a slow approach over their location. After a successful drop, he applied full power and banked left to avoid terrain. The airplane encountered a downdraft and started to descend with the left wing low. Despite the pilot’s control inputs, the airplane continued to lose altitude until it impacted the glacier below. The airplane’s firewall and both wings were substantially damaged. The pilot reported no mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal flight.

This accident is documented in NTSB report WPR12CA102. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N1155C.