Piper PA 28-140 N7494R

Summary

On 2 September 2015 at about 23:00 local time, a Piper PA 28-140 registered N7494R, operated by Luis M. Jara, was involved in an accident near North Pole, Alaska, United States. 2 people were on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

2 September 2015 at 23:00

Classification

Accident

Location

North Pole, Alaska, United States

Nearest airport

Lakleoy Air Park (AK22)

Coordinates

64.8217, -147.5217

Aircraft

Piper PA 28-140

Registration

N7494R

Category

Airplane

Year built

1966

Engines

1

Operator

Luis M. Jara

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

North Pole → North Pole

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC15LA069

1 person had minor injuries.

The student pilot’s loss of directional control during landing with a tailwind, which resulted in a runway excursion and collision with trees.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The student pilot was conducting a local flight with a passenger on board. The passenger stated that they had overflown a moose hunting area and were returning to the departure airport for landing. After touchdown and during the landing roll, the airplane veered left, then right, then left again before departing the runway and impacting a stand of birch trees. He stated that the airplane seemed to fly great and that he was not aware of, nor did the pilot discuss, any mechanical anomalies or malfunctions during the flight. Due to injuries sustained in the accident, the student pilot was unable to remember the accident sequence. A pilot-rated witness reported that he observed the airplane on final approach with about an 8- to 10-knot tailwind and noted that the airplane appeared to be a "little fast." He stated that, after touchdown, the airplane veered left, then right, then sharply left again before exiting the runway, corroborating the passenger's statement. The examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.