Piper PA-22-150 accident near Cooper Landing, Alaska, September 19, 2007
On September 19, 2007 at about 2:00 am local time, a Piper PA-22-150, registered N2825Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cooper Landing, 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 pilot's failure to maintain altitude/clearance from objects, which resulted in an in-flight collision with trees during takeoff/initial climb. A factor contributing to the accident was the pilot's decision to takeoff into known adverse weather.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 19, 2007 · about 2:00 am local time
- Place
- Cooper Landing, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22-150 · all PA-22-150s on the register
- Registration
- N2825Z · registry record · serial 22-6819
- 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 took off from a lake in the float-equipped airplane ferrying supplies and a passenger from a hunting camp under Title 14, CFR Part 91. The pilot reported that the airplane was slow to come up on step due to heavy chop, and described the winds as gusting to 30 knots. He said the airplane became airborne and then settled back into the water. The airplane lifted off the water again, and began to climb slowly. The pilot said the airplane climbed to about 100 feet above ground level as it crossed the shore, and then began to descend. He said the engine was at full power, and he lowered the nose to gain airspeed, but the airplane continued to descend. He said he maneuvered around some large trees before the airplane struck smaller trees, and settled onto the tundra. The float supports collapsed and right wing struck the ground. In a written statement, the pilot wrote that he should have departed with a lighter load, or waited for better weather. He also wrote that he should have re-evaluated the conditions after the airplane settled into the water following the first liftoff.
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; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 106 hours in all; 325 in this make and model; 22 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 275 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 1, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,096 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 1, 2006
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Moose Pass AK
- Destination: Soldotna AK
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 15 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,500 ft; ovct at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
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.
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.