What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 2 July, 2023 at approximately 1510 Alaska daylight time privacy data omitted a Piper pa 32-300, s/n 32-7740046 departed from Old Harbor, kodiak Alaska enroute to kodiak municiple with four passengers and thier cargo onboard. PIC stated that when flying up the left side of the valley after takeoff, he determined that he needed to make a 180 degree turn to gain enough altitude to clear the valley summit. PIC elected to make the turn to the left and maneuvered the aircraft to the right side of the valley, aircraft would not gain additional altitude to make the left turn, the PIC also believed the aircarft to be in a downdraft condition. PIC did not think the aicraft had sufficient altitude to continue the left turn and elected to make an emergency landing, the aircrat impacted terrain on the right side of the valley twice before coming to rest at an elevation of approximatley 750FT causing substantial damage to the aircraft. The engine and both wings separated from the fuselage, in addition to the fusalage being bent at a 90 degree angle to the right just behind the last seat position at the rear of the aircraft. The pilot sustained minor injuries, two pax sustained serious injuries, and two pax sustained fatal injuries. The coast guard and two other 135 operators from kodiak assisted in the search and rescue and susequent recovery efforts.
As the FAA filed it
ON 2 JULY, 2023 AT APPROXIMATELY 1510 ALASKA DAYLIGHT TIME ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ A PIPER PA 32-300, S/N 32-7740046 DEPARTED FROM OLD HARBOR, KODIAK ALASKA ENROUTE TO KODIAK MUNICIPLE WITH FOUR PASSENGERS AND THIER CARGO ONBOARD. PIC STATED THAT WHEN FLYING UP THE LEFT SIDE OF THE VALLEY AFTER TAKEOFF, HE DETERMINED THAT HE NEEDED TO MAKE A 180 DEGREE TURN TO GAIN ENOUGH ALTITUDE TO CLEAR THE VALLEY SUMMIT. PIC ELECTED TO MAKE THE TURN TO THE LEFT AND MANEUVERED THE AIRCRAFT TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE VALLEY, AIRCRAFT WOULD NOT GAIN ADDITIONAL ALTITUDE TO MAKE THE LEFT TURN, THE PIC ALSO BELIEVED THE AIRCARFT TO BE IN A DOWNDRAFT CONDITION. PIC DID NOT THINK THE AICRAFT HAD SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE TO CONTINUE THE LEFT TURN AND ELECTED TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY LANDING, THE AIRCRAT IMPACTED TERRAIN ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE VALLEY TWICE BEFORE COMING TO REST AT AN ELEVATION OF APPROXIMATLEY 750FT CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT. THE ENGINE AND BOTH WINGS SEPARATED FROM THE FUSELAGE, IN ADDITION TO THE FUSALAGE BEING BENT AT A 90 DEGREE ANGLE TO THE RIGHT JUST BEHIND THE LAST SEAT POSITION AT THE REAR OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES, TWO PAX SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES, AND TWO PAX SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES. THE COAST GUARD AND TWO OTHER 135 OPERATORS FROM KODIAK ASSISTED IN THE SEARCH AND RESCUE AND SUSEQUENT RECOVERY EFFORTS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N1132Q · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.