July 18, Teller, Alaska / Piper PA18 Super Cub

At about 19:00 Alaska daylight time, a Piper Super Cub crashed into the ocean about 19 miles south of Teller. The pilot was not on board the airplane at the time. The pilot had landed on a beach landing site and was returning to Nome. He was starting the airplane by hand-propping the engine from outside the airplane, but apparently the throttle was advanced too far. When the engine started the airplane took off, climbed to about 500 feet, and slowly turned toward the beach. The airplane crashed into the ocean about 100 feet from his location. He was reported overdue by a relative, and located by the crew of an Alaska National Guard helicopter about 26 hours later.