Piper PA-24-250 accident near Wasilla, Alaska, May 16, 2009
On May 16, 2009 at about 7:40 pm local time, a Piper PA-24-250, registered N7440P, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Wasilla, Alaska. 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
A loss of engine power due to the blockage of the carburetor air inlet by a piece of engine baffling. Contributing to the accident was a worn engine baffle, and the pilot/owner's failure to have the engine baffle replaced.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 16, 2009 · about 7:40 pm local time
- Place
- Wasilla, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-250 · all PA-24-250s on the register
- Registration
- N7440P · registry record · serial 24-2629
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot was on a Title 14, CFR Part 91, local area personal flight when the accident occurred. As he approached his destination airport he applied full carburetor heat, which resulted in a loss of engine power. After completing emergency engine procedures he was unable to restore engine power, and selected a shallow lake as a forced landing site. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage during the forced landing. The pilot reported that while the airplane was being disassembled after recovery, his mechanic removed the lower engine cowling, and discovered a worn, 4 inch by 2 inch portion of rubberized baffling material lodged inside of the carburetor air box assembly. An NTSB investigator traced the origin of the baffling to a worn, frayed, and torn section of engine cowling baffling adjacent to the carburetor heat fresh air inlet duct. The pilot/owner of the airplane reported that he was aware of the worn, frayed and torn engine baffling, and he planned to have it replaced at the airplane’s next annual inspection. Given the discovery of the baffling material inside the carburetor air box, it is likely that once carburetor heat was applied, airflow pulled the baffling material into the carburetor inlet, restricting airflow to the carburetor with the resultant loss of power.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Ditching during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Power plant › Air intake › Not specified
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Power plant › Eng air baffle sec (recip.) › Damaged/degraded
- factor Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › (general) › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,300 hours in all; 38 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 1,250 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 4, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,347 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 13, 2008; 32 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-A1D5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PAWS Wasilla AK at 1:40 pm
- Destination: 0AK1 Wasilla AK
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 4,900 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
- Observation at 2:56 pm from IYS, 6 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
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.