Alerts Sign-up
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has published its findings on the crash of a Piper PA-18-150 Super Cub in Alaska in 2023. The report reveals that the aircraft was overloaded with moose meat and antlers, contributing to the accident that claimed the life of Eugene Petola Junior, husband of United States Republican Mary Petola.
Eugene Petola Junior, known as 'Buzzy', was piloting the aircraft when it crashed on September 12, 2023. The incident occurred in mountainous terrain northeast of St. Marys, a small town in Alaska's Kusilvak Census Area.
According to the NTSB report, Buzzy was transporting moose meat from a hunting trip without weighing it beforehand. The plane exceeded its maximum take-off weight by 117 pounds (53 kilograms). Additionally, moose antlers were attached to the right wing without Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approval, causing an imbalance.
