Longren Centaur L-13 accident near Chickaloon, Alaska, June 14, 2003
On June 14, 2003 at about 4:30 am local time, a Longren Centaur L-13, registered N4062H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Chickaloon, Alaska. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The loss of engine power during the takeoff initial climb for an undetermined reason, which resulted in an in-flight collision with water.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 14, 2003 · about 4:30 am local time
- Place
- Chickaloon, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Longren Centaur L-13
- Registration
- N4062H · registry record · serial 47-2903
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot waited on a gravel airstrip for a thunderstorm and associated rain to pass before attempting to takeoff. In a telephone interview the day after the accident, the pilot said that during the takeoff roll, the winds were calm, but during the initial climb, the airplane encountered a downdraft and descended, touching down on a sandbar in a river adjacent to the airstrip. The airplane started to climb again, but was forced down by another downdraft. The airplane touched down on another sandbar, and after a third attempt to climb, was forced down into the river, where it nosed over. In a subsequent written statement, the pilot wrote "in retrospect, it appears there was a mysterious loss of power." He further noted in his written statement "that two witnesses stated there was little or no wind, and that the airplane sounded like a normally powered takeoff, but the sound quickly dwindled, as if the throttle was pulled back to abort the takeoff."
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,420 hours in all; 50 in this make and model
- Last flight review: May 25, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 756 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 30, 2003; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming R680E3 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Chickaloon AK
- Destination: Chickaloon AK
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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 N4062H 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.