Piper PA-11 accident near Chenega Bay, Alaska, August 17, 2000
On August 17, 2000 at about 4:30 am local time, a Piper PA-11, registered N78635, was substantially damaged in an accident near Chenega Bay, Alaska (Macleod Harbor Airstrip airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain an adequate lookout. Factors involved in this accident were sunglare, and a tall bush next to the airstrip.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 17, 2000 · about 4:30 am local time
- Place
- Chenega Bay, Alaska · Macleod Harbor Airstrip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-11 · all PA-11s on the register
- Registration
- N78635 · registry record · serial 11-1396
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated he had established a long, flat, final approach to land on the 1000 feet long by 40 feet wide airstrip. He stated there was a strong crosswind from the right, and the sun was low and glaring off the water. He indicated that 10 feet above the airstrip the propeller contacted a single tall bush which he had not seen. He said the airplane stopped flying, spun around, and came to rest on the airstrip. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing, and the empennage.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 855 hours in all; 825 in this make and model; 34 in the last 90 days; 16 in the last 30 days; 825 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,064 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 2000; 73 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290-17 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Z41 Anchorage AK at 9:00 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 27, 1,000 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 10 knots, gusting 12
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N78635 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.