Piper PA-22 N878A

Summary

On 29 October 2002 at about 14:00 local time, a Piper PA-22 registered N878A was involved in an accident near Palmer, Alaska, United States. 3 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

29 October 2002 at 14:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Palmer, Alaska, United States

Coordinates

61.4167, -148.5500

Aircraft

Piper PA-22

Registration

N878A

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Wasilla → Palmer

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC03CA008

Nobody was injured.

The premature liftoff by the pilot during takeoff, which resulted in on ground encounter with terrain when the airplane settled onto rocks. A contributing factor in the accident was an unfavorable wind.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported he was attempting to takeoff from a remote gravel bar. He noted the wind conditions as generally calm, with infrequent gusts. Shortly after liftoff, the airplane settled onto the gravel bar and collided with rocks, collapsing the main landing gear. The airplane was consumed by a postcrash fire. The pilot said there were no preimpact mechanical problems with the airplane, and that a wind shift or gust may have contributed to the accident.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.