- Date
- August 3, 1982, 19:00 local (Aug 4, 1982, 03:00 UTC)
- Place
- Eagle River, AK
- Injuries
- 4 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N9872MMaule M-4-210C
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 3, 1983
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19820803037949A
- Case key
- 70535
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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 pilot reported that he preflighted the float plane, pumped the floats, and checked for water. After the engine start, taxi, and pretakeoff checks, he set the flaps at the first notch. He aborted his first takeoff run and taxied back for a longer run. The pilot stated that the engine was producing normal power, but the aircraft still took longer than normal to reach flying speed. At 55 mph, the pilot set a second notch of flaps and the aircraft lifted out of the water. However, the pilot reported the airspeed was decreasing, so he lowered the nose slightly, but the speed continued to decrease. Subsequently, the plane settled into trees near the end of the lake. The aircraft was estimated to be 21 lbs over its maximum gross weight limit. The elevation of the lake was about 300 ft, but the density altitude was about 688 ft. the water on the lake was reported to be calm.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9872M
- Reported as
- Maule M-4-210C
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 9872M
- Airframe hours
- 1,039
- Engine
- Continental IO-360, 210 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Roger Allen Pfeifer/Al Romasze
- Registered owner
- Roger Allen Pfeifer/Al Romasze
- Departed
- Eagle River, AK
- Destination
- Eagle River, 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
- 36
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 4,000 total · 58 in this make and model · 2,500 as pilot in command · 11 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 60 statute miles
- Temperature
- 147 °F
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 N9872M · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.