Piper PA-22-150 N2825Z

Summary

On 19 September 2007 at about 02:00 local time, a Piper PA-22-150 registered N2825Z, operated by Todd Braxling, was involved in an accident near Cooper Landing, Alaska, United States. 2 people were 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.

Date

19 September 2007 at 02:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Cooper Landing, Alaska, United States

Coordinates

60.5667, -149.8750

Aircraft

Piper PA-22-150

Registration

N2825Z

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Todd Braxling

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Moose Pass → Soldotna

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC07CA101

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain altitude/clearance from objects, which resulted in an in-flight collision with trees during takeoff/initial climb. A factor contributing to the accident was the pilot's decision to takeoff into known adverse weather.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The private certificated pilot took off from a lake in the float-equipped airplane ferrying supplies and a passenger from a hunting camp under Title 14, CFR Part 91. The pilot reported that the airplane was slow to come up on step due to heavy chop, and described the winds as gusting to 30 knots. He said the airplane became airborne and then settled back into the water. The airplane lifted off the water again, and began to climb slowly. The pilot said the airplane climbed to about 100 feet above ground level as it crossed the shore, and then began to descend. He said the engine was at full power, and he lowered the nose to gain airspeed, but the airplane continued to descend. He said he maneuvered around some large trees before the airplane struck smaller trees, and settled onto the tundra. The float supports collapsed and right wing struck the ground. In a written statement, the pilot wrote that he should have departed with a lighter load, or waited for better weather. He also wrote that he should have re-evaluated the conditions after the airplane settled into the water following the first liftoff.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.