What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On September 16, 2024, a flight departed from a 1,000 ft airstrip along the yanert river (63.63657, -148.25632) near Mckinley village, AK (pain) at or around 1830 local time with the pilot and one passenger. The flight's purpose was to assess the surrounding areas in anticipation of outdoor activities planned for the coming days. After approximately 30 minutes in flight, deteriorating weather conditions, including rain, led to the decision to return to the airstrip.
The pilot opted for a right traffic pattern to approach the airstrip, landing to the east. The initial approach was not stable, and the aircraft was too high for landing, prompting a go-around. On the second attempt, the approach was stabilized; however, the aircraft lingered in ground effect longer than expected, necessitating another go-around, while only a few feet off the ground.
For the climb-out after the second go-around, the pilot applied full power, disengaged carburetor heat, and set the flaps to 20 degrees. A group of approximately 50-foot-tall trees at the east end of the airstrip, along with rising terrain to the north, presented an obstacle. A slight right turn (south-easterly) was initiated during the climb-out, but the aircraft stalled, eventually coming to rest in a group of small trees. The aircraft remained upright, but spun clockwise upon impact with the small trees, causing significant damage to the left wing.
The pilot and the passenger both exited the aircraft without injury.
As the FAA filed it
ON SEPTEMBER 16, 2024, A FLIGHT DEPARTED FROM A 1,000 FT AIRSTRIP ALONG THE YANERT RIVER (63.63657, -148.25632) NEAR MCKINLEY VILLAGE, AK (PAIN) AT OR AROUND 1830 LOCAL TIME WITH THE PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER. THE FLIGHT'S PURPOSE WAS TO ASSESS THE SURROUNDING AREAS IN ANTICIPATION OF OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES PLANNED FOR THE COMING DAYS. AFTER APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES IN FLIGHT, DETERIORATING WEATHER CONDITIONS, INCLUDING RAIN, LED TO THE DECISION TO RETURN TO THE AIRSTRIP.
THE PILOT OPTED FOR A RIGHT TRAFFIC PATTERN TO APPROACH THE AIRSTRIP, LANDING TO THE EAST. THE INITIAL APPROACH WAS NOT STABLE, AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS TOO HIGH FOR LANDING, PROMPTING A GO-AROUND. ON THE SECOND ATTEMPT, THE APPROACH WAS STABILIZED; HOWEVER, THE AIRCRAFT LINGERED IN GROUND EFFECT LONGER THAN EXPECTED, NECESSITATING ANOTHER GO-AROUND, WHILE ONLY A FEW FEET OFF THE GROUND.
FOR THE CLIMB-OUT AFTER THE SECOND GO-AROUND, THE PILOT APPLIED FULL POWER, DISENGAGED CARBURETOR HEAT, AND SET THE FLAPS TO 20 DEGREES. A GROUP OF APPROXIMATELY 50-FOOT-TALL TREES AT THE EAST END OF THE AIRSTRIP, ALONG WITH RISING TERRAIN TO THE NORTH, PRESENTED AN OBSTACLE. A SLIGHT RIGHT TURN (SOUTH-EASTERLY) WAS INITIATED DURING THE CLIMB-OUT, BUT THE AIRCRAFT STALLED, EVENTUALLY COMING TO REST IN A GROUP OF SMALL TREES. THE AIRCRAFT REMAINED UPRIGHT, BUT SPUN CLOCKWISE UPON IMPACT WITH THE SMALL TREES, CAUSING SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO THE LEFT WING.
THE PILOT AND THE PASSENGER BOTH EXITED THE AIRCRAFT WITHOUT INJURY.
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 N3474C · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.