- Date
- August 14, 2021, 19:45 local (Aug 15, 2021, 03:45 UTC)
- Place
- Tyonek, AK
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N4226HPiper PA-14
- Defining event
- Initial climb: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20210814013759A
- Case key
- 103710
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 directional control and adequate airspeed during takeoff which resulted in a collision with a river. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s improper decision to load the airplane above its maximum allowable gross weight.
Findings · 5
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 and two passengers were departing from a remote gravel bar located along a river in the tailwheel-equipped airplane. After loading the airplane to 2,100 pounds, which was 165 pounds over the maximum allowable gross weight for the airplane, the pilot began a westerly takeoff since the prevailing wind above the treeline was coming from the west. Once the airplane cleared the treeline, the wind pushed it to the left, he continued the left turn, and the airspeed began to decrease. In effort to correct for the decreasing airspeed, he pushed forward on the airplane’s control stick and pitched the nose of the airplane down. Realizing he would be unable to regain sufficient airspeed, he reduced the engine power to idle, pulled back on the control stick and impacted the river in a nose high attitude. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4226H
- Reported as
- Piper PA-14
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 14-29
- Built
- 1948
- Airframe hours
- 121.8
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A2A, 115 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Angel Aviation Inc
- Registered owner
- Angel Aviation Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · July 30, 2021 · 12 hours before
- Destination
- MRI · Anchorage, AK
- Equipment
- Angle of attack indicator, ADS-B, Handheld GPS, Electronic flight bag or handheld device
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
- 34
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- August 7, 2021
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 6,863 total · 236 in this make and model · 6,771 as pilot in command · 620 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 290° at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 18, 2022, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.0 MB 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 N4226H · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.