# Accident 20090516025829A: Piper PA-24-250, Wasilla, AK, May 16, 2009 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: May 16, 2009, 12:20 local time - Place: Wasilla, AK - Airport: Lake Lucille Seaplane - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 61.5714° N, 149.4703° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=61.5714&lon=-149.4703&mi=10 - Aircraft: N7440P, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N7440P) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Piper PA-24-250 (registry code 7102404, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-24-250) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming 0-540 series (registry code 41532, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-540-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA-24-250 - Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-540 SERIES - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Other injuries: 0 - Pilot certificates: Private pilot - Pilot flight hours: 1,300 total, 38 in this make and model, 18 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC09LA042](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC09LA042) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20090516025829A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. AT APPROXIMATELY 1140 ADT, PILOT WAS RETURNING TO ANDERSON LAKE STRIP, WASILLA (0AK1). PILOT REDUCED POWER AND WHEN CARB HEAT WAS APPLIED ENGINE DIED. PILOT HAD JUST DONE A TOUCH AND GO AND WAS AT 1700 AGL. THE PILOT TURNED AROUND HOPING TO GLIDE BACK TO WASILLA BUT IT WAS TOO FAR. HE HAD TWO CHOICES - LAND ON THE PARKS HIGHWAY OR ON LAKE LUCILLE. HE CHOSE LAKE LUCILLE. LOCAL BOATERS RESCUED PILOT FROM THE LAKE AFTER LANDING. THE PILOT WAS THE ONLY PERSON BOARD AND HE WAS NOT INJURED.THE AIRCRAFT LANDED APPROX. 100 YARDS FROM THE SHORE AND CAME TO REST IN WATER APPROX. 6 FEET DEEP. MAT-SU SEARCH AND RESCUE AND WASILLA POLICE DEPARTMENT (WPD) RESPONDED TO THE ACCIDENT. CASE NUMBER REF. # 09-678. CONTACT INFO FOR THE WPD INVESTIGATOR IS: ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^MAT-SU SEARCH AND RESCUE FLOATED THE AIRCRAFT AND THEN TOWED THE AIRCRAFT APPROX. 800 FEET OVER TO THE BOAT LAUNCH NEXT TO THE BEST WESTERN HOTEL.ON 5/19/09, ASI ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AND ASI ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ PERFORMED AN ON-SITE ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION. THE AIRCRAFT WAS STILL SUBMERGED AT THE BOAT LAUNCH AREA AND THE OWNER WAS PREPARING AIRCRAFT TO BE LIFTED OUT OF THE WATER USING A CRANE. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUCCESSFULLY LIFTED OUT OF THE WATER, DRAINED, AND THEN PLACED IN THE PARKING LOT OF THE BEST WESTERN HOTEL.THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO THE EMPENNAGE AND TAIL AREA DUE TO IMPACTING THE WATER. THE LOWER FWD NOSE/ENGINE COWLINGS AND EXHAUST STACK WERE BUCKLED, BENT AND DISTORTED. THE RIGHT FLAP WAS DAMAGED ON THE TRAILING EDGE. THE PROP SHOWED NO OBVIOUS DAMAGE. THE ENGINE WAS TURNED TROUGH BY HAND AND THE OIL LEVEL WAS CONFIRMED OKAY. INSIDE THE AIRCRAFT WAS COVERED WITH MUD AND LAKE DEBRIS. ALL PILOT LOG BOOKS, PILOT PRIVATE CERTIFICATE, PILOT MEDICAL CERTIFICATE, CERTIFICATE OF AIRWORTHINESS, CERTIFICATE OF REGISTRATION, WERE LOST IN THE LAKE AND COULD NOT BE RECOVERED.FURTHER INSPECTION OF THE HEAT BOX SURROUNDING THE CARB REVEALED A PIECE OF ASBESTOS MATERIAL LAYING IN THE BOTTOM OF THE BOX. THE ORIGIN OF THIS PIECE OF MATERIAL WAS TRACED TO THE RH REAR ENGINE BAFFLE ASSEMBLY P/N 21579-00. ## 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 ANC09LA042](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC09LA042), May 16, 2009: Piper PA-24-250 (N7440P), Wasilla, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: A loss of engine power due to the blockage of the carburetor air inlet by a piece of engine baffling. Contributing to the accident was a worn engine baffle, and the pilot/owner's failure to have the… ## Other reports on N7440P (1) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Accident 19770205002229A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19770205002229A), Feb 5, 1977: Piper PA24250 (N7440P), Tolono, IL, Substantial damage. First flight out of annual inspection. Mixture control misrouted. 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.