- Date
- September 21, 1986, 09:45 local (17:45 UTC)
- Place
- Tutna Lake, AK
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N5461YPiper PA-12
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19860921045819A
- Case key
- 4745
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.
Loss of control - in flight
Weather condition - crosswindFactor
Aircraft handling - improperCause
Weather condition - gustsFactor
Altitude - not attainedCause
Ground loop/swerve - uncontrolledCause
Directional control - not maintainedCause
In flight collision with terrain/water
Analysis
The pilot stated that just after lift off, a left crosswind forced the left wing up, causing the right float to strike the water.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5461Y
- Reported as
- Piper PA-12
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 121466
- Airframe hours
- 2,550
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Kenneth T. Powers
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 1, 1985 · 45 hours before
N5461YRegistration cancelled Jun 27, 2018 · Piper PA-12Airframe modelPiper PA-12Engine modelLycoming 0-320 series
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
- 32
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 225 total · 145 in this make and model · 130 as pilot in command · 45 in the last 90 days · 20 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 360° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 75 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 39 °F, dew point 19 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
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 N5461Y · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.