- Date
- September 15, 2019, 12:15 local (20:15 UTC)
- Place
- Healy, AK
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N4315MPiper PA 12
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Aerodynamic stall/spin
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 17, 2020
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20190915016899A
- Case key
- 100278
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 exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack while taking off from water in shifting wind conditions.
Findings · 3
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, while taking off from water to the east, the wind shifted from the east to the south. The airplane became airborne and then aerodynamically stalled, and the left wing impacted the water. The airplane came to rest inverted in the water. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the float-equipped airplane reported that, during a water takeoff to the east, the wind shifted from the east to the south. The airplane became airborne, aerodynamically stalled, and the left wing impacted the water. The airplane came to rest inverted in the water. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported that the wind was from 115° at 30 knots, gusting to 30 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4315M
- Reported as
- Piper PA 12 (No Series)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 12-3248
- Built
- 1947
- Airframe hours
- 1,085.6
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-A2B, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 25, 2019
- Departed
- Healy, AK
- Destination
- FAI · Fairbanks, AK
- Equipment
- Handheld GPS
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
- 60
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- September 10, 2016
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 600 total · 150 in this make and model · 500 as pilot in command · 4 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 110° at 16 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 54 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.61 inHg
- Observed at
- PABI, 28 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 26, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.3 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.