PIPER PA-18-150
Bethel, AK — September 17, 2011
Event Information
| Date | September 17, 2011 |
| Event Type | ACC |
| NTSB Number | ANC11CA105 |
| Event ID | 20110921X93314 |
| Location | Bethel, AK |
| Country | USA |
| Coordinates | 60.79278, -161.82140 |
| Airport | Bethel - H Marker Lake |
| Highest Injury | NONE |
Aircraft
| Make | PIPER |
| Model | PA-18-150 |
| Category | AIR |
| FAR Part | 091 |
| Aircraft Damage | SUBS |
Conditions
| Light Condition | DAYL |
| Weather | VMC |
Injuries
| Fatal | 0 |
| Serious | 0 |
| Minor | 0 |
| None | 2 |
| Total Injured | 0 |
Event Location
Probable Cause
The pilot's delayed decision to abort the takeoff.
Full Narrative
The pilot reported that, during takeoff in his float-equipped airplane, he realized that the airplane was not going to become airborne before reaching the departure end of the lake. He closed the engine throttle in an attempt to abort the takeoff, but the airplane struck the shoreline and came to rest on the tundra adjacent to the lake, sustaining substantial damage to the left wing. He stated the automated weather observation from an airport approximately 1 mile south of the lake was reporting wind from the east-northeast, but the wind appeared calm on the lake. He made the decision to takeoff to the west due to the calm wind, and to stay away from aircraft departing to the north from the nearby airport. He indicated there were no mechanical problems with the airplane, and that the accident could have been prevented if he had aborted the takeoff sooner.
About This NTSB Record
This aviation event was investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). NTSB investigates all U.S. civil aviation accidents to determine probable cause and issue safety recommendations to prevent future accidents.