- Date
- June 18, 2014, 18:00 local (Jun 19, 2014, 02:00 UTC)
- Place
- Beluga, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N27293Piper PA 18-135
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 9, 2014
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 20140618010019A
- Case key
- 89495
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 loss of control when encountering a downdraft during the initial climb after takeoff, resulting in a collision with brush and terrain.
Findings · 4
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that he was departing from a small remote lake in a float-equipped airplane. He said that during the initial climb he encountered a strong downdraft, and he selected an area of marshy, brush-covered terrain as a forced landing site. During touchdown, the left wing collided with a stand of tall brush, which pivoted the airplane 90-degrees to the left, and the airplane's left float subsequently struck the shoreline. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that he was departing from a small remote lake in a float-equipped airplane. He said that during the initial climb he encountered a strong downdraft, and he selected an area of marshy, brush-covered terrain as a forced landing site. During touchdown, the left wing collided with a stand of tall brush, which pivoted the airplane 90-degrees to the left, and the airplane's left float subsequently struck the shoreline. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N27293
- Reported as
- Piper PA 18-135
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-3367
- Built
- 1954
- Airframe hours
- 3,600
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-A2B, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 6, 2013
- Departed
- Beluga, AK
- Destination
- Chugaik, 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
- 65
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 8,000 total · 2,000 in this make and model · 20 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 200° at 11 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 3,900 ft broken
- Temperature
- 50 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.77 inHg
- Turbulence
- Unknown
- Observed at
- PAEN, 29 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 7, 2014, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 683 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N27293 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.