- Date
- August 29, 2005, 12:15 local (20:15 UTC)
- Place
- Tyonek, AK
- Injuries
- 4 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N4714FCessna 172
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 20, 2005
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 20050829019709A
- Case key
- 62357
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions during takeoff-initial climb, which resulted in a loss of control, and subsequent in-flight collision with a creek. A factor associated with the accident is a sudden windshift.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The commercial pilot with three passengers were departing from a 1200-foot long, gravel-covered off airport site. The pilot said that just after takeoff, as the airplane began to climb, a sudden wind shift caused the airplane to descend into a creek located at the departure end of the site. The airplane sustained structural damage to the wings, fuselage, and horizontal stabilizer. The pilot said that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane.
Factual narrative
On August 29, 2005, about 1215 Alaska daylight time, a wheel-equipped Cessna 172 airplane, N4714F, sustained substantial damage during takeoff from an off airport site, located about 65 miles northwest of Tyonek, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) on-demand air taxi passenger flight under Title 14, CFR Part 135, when the accident occurred. The airplane was registered to Stephen E. Hunter, and operated by Great Northern Air LLC, Anchorage, Alaska. The commercial pilot and the three passengers were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and company flight following procedures were in effect. The flight originated at the off airport site, and was en route to the Lake Hood Airstrip, Anchorage.
During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC) on August 29, just after being rescued, the pilot reported that he was departing from a 1,200 foot-long, gravel-covered off airport site, with three members of a hunting party aboard. He said that just after takeoff, as the airplane began to climb, a sudden wind change caused the airplane to descend into a creek located at the departure end of the site. The airplane sustained structural damage to the wings, fuselage, and horizontal stabilizer. The pilot said that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane.
Neither the pilot, nor the operator, elected to include a written statement with the NTSB Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1/2) submitted by the operator. Additionally, there was no wind information included on the completed form.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4714F
- Reported as
- Cessna 172
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17273075
- Airframe hours
- 9,251.4
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 135
- Operator
- Great Northern Air LLC
- Registered owner
- Stephen Hunter
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · August 1, 2005 · 85 hours before
- Departed
- Tyonek, AK
- Destination
- Z41 · Anchorage, AK
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 35
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 2,000 total · 90 in this make and model · 7 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.