Piper PA-11 N78831
25 August 2010 · Willow, Alaska, United States · Fatal
Summary
On 25 August 2010 at about 03:45 local time, a Piper PA-11 registered N78831, operated by Brandon Reiley, was involved in an accident near Willow, Alaska, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. 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 03:45
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Willow, Alaska, United States
- Coordinates
- 60.5047, -150.5519
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-11
- Registration
- N78831
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Brandon Reiley
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Anchorage → Rainy Pass
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- ANC10FA076
People
2 people died.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate airspeed, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall/spin and impact with the ground.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
Witnesses near the accident site saw the accident airplane flying about 100 feet above a river and towards their location on the river bank. As they watched the airplane fly past, there appeared to be nothing wrong with the airplane or its engine. Review of a digital video taken by one of the witnesses showed the airplane flying in a straight and level attitude over the river at a low altitude. Within 2 minutes of the airplane passing the witnesses, they heard an unusual sound, possibly that of the airplane crashing. Associates of the pilot and passenger said that the pilot told them they intended to scout for wildlife during the flight to their intended destination. Numerous moose hoof prints were seen near the accident site. Examination of the wreckage revealed impact damage consistent with a stall and/or spin. No evidence of any preimpact mechanical anomaly was discovered during the postaccident examination of the airplane and engine.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Piper PA-11 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 Jun 2010 | Piper PA-11 | Leander, Texas, United States | Campbell David | No injuries | - |
| 7 Sep 2009 | Piper PA-11 | Quincy, Florida, United States | Cody John | Fatal | 1 |
| 11 Aug 2011 | Piper PA-11 | Chenga Bay, Alaska, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 20 Jul 2012 | Piper PA-11 | Neilsville, Wisconsin, United States | Steven Humphrey | No injuries | - |
| 21 Aug 2008 | Piper PA-11 | Sheridan, Wyoming, United States | John R. Pierce | No injuries | - |
| 10 Sep 2012 | Piper PA-11 | Ft. Morgan, Colorado, United States | Morris Jerry W | No injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 Apr 2010 | Piper PA-32-301 | King Cove, Alaska, United States | Peninsula Airways Inc | No injuries | - |
| 6 Mar 2010 | McDonnell Douglas 369E | Delta Junction, Alaska, United States | Aurora Aviation Services Inc | Serious injuries | - |
| 23 Jul 2010 | De Havilland BEAVER DHC-2 MK.1 | Ketchikan, Alaska, United States | Pacific Airways, Inc. | Fatal | 1 |
| 23 Jul 2010 | Cessna 170B | Palmer, Alaska, United States | Akers David W | Serious injuries | - |
| 29 Apr 2010 | Piper PA-22-150 | Fairbanks, Alaska, United States | Jed Williams | No injuries | - |
| 26 Aug 2010 | Piper PA-14 | Talkeetna, Alaska, United States | Wasche Kenneth M | No injuries | - |