- Date
- September 18, 2007, 18:00 local (Sep 19, 2007, 02:00 UTC)
- Place
- Cooper Landing, AK
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N2825ZPiper PA-22-150
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 20, 2007
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 20070918021209A
- Case key
- 66720
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 failure to maintain altitude/clearance from objects, which resulted in an in-flight collision with trees during takeoff/initial climb. A factor contributing to the accident was the pilot's decision to takeoff into known adverse weather.
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 private certificated pilot took off from a lake in the float-equipped airplane ferrying supplies and a passenger from a hunting camp under Title 14, CFR Part 91. The pilot reported that the airplane was slow to come up on step due to heavy chop, and described the winds as gusting to 30 knots. He said the airplane became airborne and then settled back into the water. The airplane lifted off the water again, and began to climb slowly. The pilot said the airplane climbed to about 100 feet above ground level as it crossed the shore, and then began to descend. He said the engine was at full power, and he lowered the nose to gain airspeed, but the airplane continued to descend. He said he maneuvered around some large trees before the airplane struck smaller trees, and settled onto the tundra. The float supports collapsed and right wing struck the ground. In a written statement, the pilot wrote that he should have departed with a lighter load, or waited for better weather. He also wrote that he should have re-evaluated the conditions after the airplane settled into the water following the first liftoff.
Factual narrative
The private certificated pilot took off from a lake in the float-equipped airplane ferrying supplies and a passenger from a hunting camp under Title 14, CFR Part 91. The pilot reported that the airplane was slow to come up on step due to heavy chop, and described the winds as gusting to 30 knots. He said the airplane became airborne and then settled back into the water. The airplane lifted off the water again, and began to climb slowly. The pilot said the airplane climbed to about 100 feet above ground level as it crossed the shore, and then began to descend. He said the engine was at full power, and he lowered the nose to gain airspeed, but the airplane continued to descend. He said he maneuvered around some large trees before the airplane struck smaller trees, and settled onto the tundra. The float supports collapsed and right wing struck the ground. In a written statement, the pilot wrote that he should have departed with a lighter load, or waited for better weather. He also wrote that he should have re-evaluated the conditions after the airplane settled into the water following the first liftoff.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2825Z
- Reported as
- Piper PA-22-150
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 22-6819
- Airframe hours
- 2,096
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Todd Braxling
- Registered owner
- Todd Braxling
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 1, 2006
- Departed
- Moose Pass, AK
- Destination
- Soldotna, AK
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
- 44
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- September 1, 2004
- Flight hours
- 106 total · 325 in this make and model · 275 as pilot in command · 22 in the last 90 days · 13 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 15 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility
- 5 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 3,500 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.06 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.