Piper PA-22-160 accident near Port Alsworth, Alaska, June 1, 2010
On June 1, 2010 at about 4:30 am local time, a Piper PA-22-160, registered N9217D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Port Alsworth, 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 selection of unsuitable terrain for takeoff and inability to abort the takeoff, resulting in an overrun into the water.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 1, 2010 · about 4:30 am local time
- Place
- Port Alsworth, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22-160 · all PA-22-160s on the register
- Registration
- N9217D · registry record · serial 22-6277
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was departing from a gravel bar when the accident occurred. He stated that prior to the takeoff he examined the gravel bar for the firmest ground for the takeoff roll. After the tail came up during the takeoff roll, the pilot realized that he was not aligned along his intended takeoff path. The pilot was not able to abort the takeoff roll and rolled from the gravel bar to the water. The airplane came to rest in the water inverted, resulting in substantial damage to both wings and the empennage. The pilot verified that there were no mechanical anomalies with the airplane prior to the accident.
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
- 300490 during nose over
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
Pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land, none, APLN, none
- Flight time: 565 hours in all; 264 in this make and model; 23 in the last 90 days; 23 in the last 30 days; 466 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: class 2
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,639 hours
- Last inspection: type not recorded, May 9, 2009
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
- Operating certificate: in the vicinity
The flight
- Departed from: PALJ Port Alsworth AK at 11:00 pm
- Destination: Port Alsworth AK
- Flight plan: not recorded
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 66°C, dew point 46°C
- Altimeter: 29.51 inHg
- Observation at 11:47 pm from PALJ, 21 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 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 ANC10CA047.