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19980614020739A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Conaer LA-4 · St Marys, AK · June 14, 1998

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
June 14, 1998 · 16:30 local
Place
St Marys, AK
Phase of flight
Takeoff Ground Roll
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N19AK
NTSB investigation
NTSBANC98LA073
Reported as
Conaer LA4
Reported engine
Lycoming O360A1A
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
12,000 total2,000 in this make and model199 in the last 90 days
N19AKRegistration cancelled Jun 12, 2013 · Lake LA-4S/N 380Airframe modelLake LA-4Engine modelLycoming O&VO-360 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Encountered flock of ducks on initial climbout. Swerved to avoid same. Struck alder trees. (From .4) the certificated commercial pilot was departing from a river after a day of fishing. The pilot reported that just after takeoff, about 15 feet above the water, two ducks flew into the path of the departing airplane, distracting his attention. The pilot stated that the birds passed on the right side of the airplane, about 6 feet from the windscreen. The next thing the pilot recalls was seeing trees that filled his entire field of view. The airplane's left wing sponson collided with a stand of trees, pivoted the airplane 180 degrees to the left, and the airplane settled into a larger stand of trees. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. (-23) PIC Mr. Young encountered a flock of ducks immediately after take off. Having only 15 ft AGL and only take off airspeed he was only able to make a small course correction to avoid over taking and colliding with the ducks. This correction took him into a stand of alder trees where the aircraft sustained substantial damage. Mr. Young was not injured.

As the FAA filed it

ENCOUNTERED FLOCK OF DUCKS ON INITIAL CLIMBOUT. SWERVED TO AVOID SAME. STRUCK ALDER TREES. (FROM .4) THE CERTIFICATED COMMERCIAL PILOT WAS DEPARTING FROM A RIVER AFTER A DAY OF FISHING. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT JUST AFTER TAKEOFF, ABOUT 15 FEET ABOVE THE WATER, TWO DUCKS FLEW INTO THE PATH OF THE DEPARTING AIRPLANE, DISTRACTING HIS ATTENTION. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE BIRDS PASSED ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE AIRPLANE, ABOUT 6 FEET FROM THE WINDSCREEN. THE NEXT THING THE PILOT RECALLS WAS SEEING TREES THAT FILLED HIS ENTIRE FIELD OF VIEW. THE AIRPLANE'S LEFT WING SPONSON COLLIDED WITH A STAND OF TREES, PIVOTED THE AIRPLANE 180 DEGREES TO THE LEFT, AND THE AIRPLANE SETTLED INTO A LARGER STAND OF TREES. THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE WINGS AND FUSELAGE. (-23) PIC MR. YOUNG ENCOUNTERED A FLOCK OF DUCKS IMMEDIATELY AFTER TAKE OFF. HAVING ONLY 15 FT AGL AND ONLY TAKE OFF AIRSPEED HE WAS ONLY ABLE TO MAKE A SMALL COURSE CORRECTION TO AVOID OVER TAKING AND COLLIDING WITH THE DUCKS. THIS CORRECTION TOOK HIM INTO A STAND OF ALDER TREES WHERE THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. MR. YOUNG WAS NOT INJURED.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB ANC98LA073Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportSaint Mary'S, AKThe pilot's diverted attention during takeoff, and his failure to maintain a proper climb rate. A factor associated with the accident was the presence of birds.Jun 15, 1998 · Substantial damage