# Accident 20210814013759A: Piper PA-14, Beluga, AK, August 14, 2021

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 14, 2021, 19:45 local time
- Place: Beluga, AK
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 61.2105° N, 150.9442° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=61.2105&lon=-150.9442&mi=10
- Aircraft: N4226H, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N4226H) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-14 (registry code 7101402, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-14) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-235 series (registry code 41505, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-235-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-14
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 3
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor, private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 5,700 total, 33 in this make and model, 99 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC21LA071](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC21LA071) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20210814013759A

## Narrative

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

THE PILOT PROVIDE THE FOLLOWING NARRATIVE:

"WE DEPARTED PAMR ON SATURDAY AUGUST 14TH, 2021 AT APPROXIMATELY 1500 LOCAL IN N4226H. DESTINATION WAS A GRAVEL STRIP ON THE BELUGA RIVER NEAR OLSON CREEK TO GO FISHING. 3 PEOPLE WERE ON BOARD THE AIRCRAFT. THIS WAS A PERSONAL FLIGHT. AT APPROXIMATELY 1945 LOCAL WE TOOK OFF FROM THE GRAVEL STRIP ON THE BELUGA RIVER NEAR OLSON CREEK. THERE WAS NO PREVAILING WIND DIRECTION ON THE GROUND SO I ELECTED TO TAKE OFF TO THE WEST AS THE PREVAILING WIND ABOVE THE TREE LINE WAS COMING FROM THE WEST. FLAPS WERE AT 10 DEGREES BEFORE I BEGAN THE TAKEOFF ROLL, DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL I ADDED THE SECOND NOTCH OF FLAPS (25 DEGREES) AND WE WERE AIRBORNE SHORTLY AFTER THAT. AT THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY WE WERE CLEAR OF THE FIRST TREE LINE AND I RETRACTED THE 1ST NOTCH OF FLAPS. I BEGAN TO ACCELERATE AND CLIMB ABOVE THE SECOND TREE LINE WHILE OVER THE RIVER. ONCE I GOT ABOVE THE SECOND TREE LINE ON THE OPPOSITE SHORELINE THE WIND BEGAN TO PUSH ME TO THE LEFT SO I TURNED WITH THE WIND BECAUSE I WAS UNABLE TO TURN RIGHT. MY AIRSPEED STARTED DECREASING SO I PUSHED THE NOSE OVER TO REGAIN AIRSPEED BUT WAS UNABLE TO SUSTAIN ENOUGH AIRSPEED TO KEEP THE PLANE FLYING. I COULD FEEL THE AIRPLANE BEGIN TO STALL SO I REDUCED THE POWER TO IDLE, STEPPED ON THE RIGHT RUDDER AND PULLED THE STICK ALL THE WAY BACK TO IMPACT THE WATER AS NOSE HIGH AND WINGS LEVEL AS POSSIBLE."

## 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 ANC21LA071](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC21LA071), Aug 15, 2021: Piper PA-14 (N4226H), Tyonek, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control and adequate airspeed during takeoff which resulted in a collision with a river. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s improper decision to…

## Other reports on N4226H (2)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Accident 19821126060099A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19821126060099A), Nov 26, 1982: Piper PA14 (N4226H), Anchorage, AK, Substantial damage. Damaged a ski on takeoff from a frozen river. Ground looped landing on snow covered lake ice.
- [Accident 19760508010819A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19760508010819A), May 8, 1976: Piper PA14 (N4226H), Palmer, AK, Substantial damage. Plt hadnt soloed.

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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