Amateur-built Murphy Rebel accident near Kivalina, Alaska, July 23, 2005
On July 23, 2005 at about 6:00 pm local time, a amateur-built Murphy Rebel, registered N7478T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kivalina, 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to attain adequate airspeed during takeoff-initial climb, which resulted in a stall and collision with a ditch. A factor contributing to the accident was the ditch.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 23, 2005 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Kivalina, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Murphy Rebel
- Registration
- N7478T · registry record · serial 088
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private certificated pilot was departing a gravel bar that was about 900 feet long. During the takeoff run, the airplane lifted off, and then settled slightly. The main landing gear tires collided with the lip of a ditch, shearing off the main gear. The airplane then skidded on the gravel surface for about 25 feet. The airplane received structural damage to the fuselage, and the main landing gear attach points.
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: 392 hours in all; 249 in this make and model; 35 in the last 90 days; 26 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 249 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 1, 2005; 39 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-C1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Kivalina AK at 1:00 pm
- Destination: Noatak AK
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 135° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ANC05CA105.