Piper PA-14 N4226H

Summary

On 15 August 2021 at about 03:45 local time, a Piper PA-14 registered N4226H, operated by Angel Aviation Inc, was involved in an accident near Tyonek, Alaska, United States. 3 people were on board and one was seriously injured, 2 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

15 August 2021 at 03:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Tyonek, Alaska, United States

Coordinates

61.2105, -150.9442

Aircraft

Piper PA-14

Registration

N4226H

Category

Airplane

Year built

1948

Engines

1

Operator

Angel Aviation Inc

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Anchorage

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC21LA071

1 person was seriously injured.

The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control and adequate airspeed during takeoff which resulted in a collision with a river. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s improper decision to load the airplane above its maximum allowable gross weight.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot and two passengers were departing from a remote gravel bar located along a river in the tailwheel-equipped airplane. After loading the airplane to 2,100 pounds, which was 165 pounds over the maximum allowable gross weight for the airplane, the pilot began a westerly takeoff since the prevailing wind above the treeline was coming from the west. Once the airplane cleared the treeline, the wind pushed it to the left, he continued the left turn, and the airspeed began to decrease. In effort to correct for the decreasing airspeed, he pushed forward on the airplane’s control stick and pitched the nose of the airplane down. Realizing he would be unable to regain sufficient airspeed, he reduced the engine power to idle, pulled back on the control stick and impacted the river in a nose high attitude. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.