# Accident 20240921014449A: Piper PA-22-150, Bettles, AK, September 21, 2024

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 21, 2024, 13:30 local time
- Place: Bettles, AK
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: B5PC
- Location: 66.8096° N, 151.5198° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=66.8096&lon=-151.5198&mi=10
- Aircraft: N808PT, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N808PT) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-22-150 (registry code 7102210, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-22-150) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming O-360-A1A (registry code 41594, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-360-a1a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-22-150
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 1,879 total, 1,500 in this make and model, 179 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC24LA095](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC24LA095) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20240921014449A

## Narrative

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

THE PILOT DEPARTED REMOTE LAKE APPROXIMATELY 40 MILES SOUTHWEST OF BETTLES, AK. UPON DEPARTURE FROM REMOTE LAKE, PILOT TOOK OFF AND EXECUTED A RIGHT-HAND TURN TO THE NORTH, INTO THE WIND. THE PILOT THEN EXECUTED A SECOND RIGHT-HAND TURN IN AN ATTEMPT TO GAIN ALTITUDE BY "FLYING THE LAKE", AT AN ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 20 TO 30 FEET OFF OF THE WATER. PILOT ENCOUNTERED A DOWNDRAFT THAT CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO LAND HARD ON THE WATER, SUSTAINING DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT-HAND FLOAT AND THE FUSELAGE. THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO TAXI AIRCRAFT TO THE SHORELINE.

## 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 ANC24LA095](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC24LA095), Sep 21, 2024: Piper PA-22-150 (N808PT), Bettles, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to adequately compensate for shifting wind conditions, resulting in a hard landing.

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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