# Accident 19980614020739A: Conaer LA4, St Marys, AK, June 14, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 14, 1998, 16:30 local time
- Place: St Marys, AK
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff Ground Roll
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 62.0602° N, 163.2903° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=62.0602&lon=-163.2903&mi=10
- Aircraft: N19AK, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N19AK-2013-06-12) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Lake LA-4 (registry code 5110302, https://openairdocs.org/model/lake-la-4) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming O&VO-360 series (registry code 41514, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CONAER LA4
- Reported engine: LYC O360A1A
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 12,000 total, 2,000 in this make and model, 199 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC98LA073](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC98LA073) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980614020739A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

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.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB ANC98LA073](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC98LA073), Jun 15, 1998: Lake LA-4 (N19AK), Saint Mary'S, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The 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.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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