Piper PA-31-350 N41078

Summary

On 11 June 1999 at about 15:23 local time, a Piper PA-31-350 registered N41078, operated by Larry's Flying Service Inc., was involved in an accident near Tanana, Alaska, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

11 June 1999 at 15:23

Classification

Accident

Location

Tanana, Alaska, United States

Nearest airport

Tanana (PATA)

Coordinates

65.1791, -152.0699

Aircraft

Piper PA-31-350

Registration

N41078

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Larry's Flying Service Inc.

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Galena

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC99FA074

1 person died.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

A twin-engine airplane on a scheduled passenger/cargo flight, departed a rural airport located along the north shore of the Yukon River with only the pilot aboard. The airplane appeared to depart normally, but remained low, flying over the river, about 200 feet above the ground. About five minutes after departure, the pilot contacted a local weather observation facility on the common traffic advisory frequency (CTAF), and reported he was having a problem with the airplane, stating he may have to ditch. He did not describe the nature of the problem. The pilot then said he was clipping trees, and was attempting to return to the runway. The airplane collided with several trees located on a gravel bar in the Yukon River, separating the outboard end of the left wing. The airplane then collided with the river and sank, about 1.5 miles south of the airport. A fast river current, and silty water conditions hampered recovery efforts, but the left wing, the left engine, and the fuselage were recovered from the river. The left engine propeller appeared to be feathered. The right wing and the right engine were not recovered. Postaccident examination of the left engine disclosed no evidence that it was producing power upon impact, or any evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunction. Inspection of the airframe disclosed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunction.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.