Piper PA-11 N30961
9 September 1998 · Willow, Alaska, United States · No injuries
Summary
On 9 September 1998 at about 15:50 local time, a Piper PA-11 registered N30961, operated by Kurt W. Stenehjen, was involved in an accident near Willow, Alaska, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 15:50
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Willow, Alaska, United States
- Coordinates
- 61.8907, -149.7296
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-11
- Registration
- N30961
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Kurt W. Stenehjen
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- ANC98LA144
People
Nobody was injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Probable cause
The pilot's selection of an unsuitable takeoff area from the lake. Factors were the obstruction (point of land) hidden in the glare from the rising sun.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The seaplane struck a point of land during step taxi for takeoff. The pilot told the NTSB investigator-in-charge that he was taking off into the sun, and was partially blinded. He said he misjudged his location in the lake, and did not see the point of land in his takeoff path.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Piper PA-11 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 Feb 1998 | Piper PA-11 | Bridger, Montana, United States | TY L. Schwend | Minor injuries | - |
| 30 Dec 1997 | Piper PA-11 | Willow Beach, Arizona, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 8 May 1999 | Piper PA-11 | Lander, Wyoming, United States | Mark A. Ramsey | Fatal | 2 |
| 21 May 1999 | Piper PA-11 | Leesburg, Virginia, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 14 Sep 1997 | Piper PA-11 | Gulkana, Alaska, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 13 Apr 1996 | Piper PA-11 | Paxson, Alaska, United States | Mark W. Barkdull | No injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 Nov 1998 | Boeing 747-400 | Anchorage, Alaska, United States | Asiana Airlines | Minor injuries | - |
| 3 Nov 1998 | Piper PA-12 | Willow, Alaska, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 6 Feb 1998 | Cessna 207 | Homer, Alaska, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 11 Nov 1998 | Piper PA-18-150 | Kenai, Alaska, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 28 Apr 1998 | Taylorcraft BL12 | Sitka, Alaska, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 14 May 1998 | Cessna 208 | Nome, Alaska, United States | Baker Aviation Inc. | Serious injuries | - |