Accident Overview
On September 14, 2024, at 0930 Alaska daylight time, an experimental amateur-built JP Flyer, registration N1202Y, was substantially damaged when it crashed near Wasilla, Alaska. The pilot, who was the sole occupant, was fatally injured. The flight was conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight.
Background
According to a close friend, the accident pilot rebuilt the airplane, which originated as a Piper PA-12 airplane, at his home in Anchorage, Alaska. He then transported it to Anderson Lake Airport (0AK1) to be assembled in the friend’s hangar. The accident flight was the pilot’s first flight after an extensive rebuild that included installation of high-performance wing flaps, wing slats, a propeller, and modified engine ignition components.
Witness Statements
Multiple witnesses at the airport reported that as the airplane began its initial takeoff roll on Runway 8, the engine appeared not to be producing full takeoff power. They initially thought the pilot would abort the takeoff, but the airplane unexpectedly became airborne and started a shallow climb. As the airplane continued the shallow climb, witnesses reported hearing the engine lose power, and the airplane descended behind a stand of trees at the departure end of the runway.
Crash and Fire
The airplane continued descending into a residential neighborhood about ¼ mile east of the airport, subsequently impacting a paved residential roadway in a near-vertical, nose-down attitude. A post-impact fire immediately ensued, incinerating a large portion of the airplane wreckage.
NTSB Examination
An initial National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) on-scene wreckage examination revealed that all major components of the airplane were accounted for at the accident site. The pilot was not in communication with air traffic control at the time of the accident, and there were no known distress calls received from the airplane. The airplane and engine were recovered for further examination.