The pilot and two passengers were departing from a remote gravel bar located along a river near Tyonek, Alaska, in the tailwheel Piper PA-14.
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 plane cleared the treeline, the wind pushed it to the left. The pilot 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 hit the river in a nose high attitude.
The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and fuselage.
The pilot was seriously injured in the crash, while the two passengers sustained minor injuries.
Probable Cause: 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.
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This August 2021 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.
This was a professional pilot with 6,000 plus hours that got himself into a situation that exceeded his “stick and rudder” capabilities. That, combined with poor judgment, was a recipe for disaster.
Highly, highly recommend downloading the NTSB Form 6120 and reading the “Narrative History of Flight” and “Operator/Owner Safety Recommendation”; they highlight the dangers of trying to be a self-taught bush pilot.
I’m CFII with thousands of hours flight time; instructor hundreds of hours. Faced death many times due to unexpected student’s craziness: one tried a Mooney Touch & Go with 1/2° Flaps I saved our lives/plane because a home next to runway at minimum control air speed… student gave up flying!!…
Strange….I’ve been flying a Mooney C for 38 years and takeoff and land with full flaps. That was at the recommendation of a Mooney factory pilot.
Overweight, tailwind, back side of the power curve (below Vx) – unfortunately pretty much everything that reduces climb performance.