NTSB finds no fuel water or oil blockage in Wrangell crash killing two
The Piper PA-18-150 broke apart forward of the control stick after traveling 750 feet from the airstrip.
By Ariana Flores ·
The National Transportation Safety Board released preliminary findings on the September 17 crash of a Piper PA-18-150 in the Wrangell Mountains. The accident killed Palmer pilot Cabot Pitts, 42, and Connor Helsel, 18, of Michigan. The board stated that the flight was intended to transport a packer to a moose camp along Snag Creek before continuing another 10 miles east.
According to the report, the aircraft departed the dirt airstrip around 7:30 p.m. after a preflight inspection. Employees on the ground reported hearing a sound they described as metal popping shortly after takeoff. The plane was then observed on the ground on the opposite side of the creek, having stopped approximately 750 feet from the departure point.
Investigators noted that weather conditions were favorable for flight, with only light winds present. All major components of the aircraft remained attached to the fuselage at the accident site. The NTSB detailed that the fuselage separated forward of the control stick, while the instrument panel and firewall were also separated from the main body.
Laboratory testing of the aircraft revealed that the fuel tested negative for water. Investigators also confirmed that the engine's oil screen was clean and unobstructed. The airplane has since been removed from the scene for further examination.
The preliminary report does not identify a suspected cause for the crash. The investigation remains ongoing. Pitts and Helsel were the only two individuals killed in the incident.
