Piper PA-14 accident near King Salmon, Alaska, July 15, 2010
On July 15, 2010 at about 7:37 pm local time, a Piper PA-14, registered N5126H, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (low-alt flying) near King Salmon, Alaska (King Salmon airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to use continuous carburetor heat while operating in carburetor icing conditions, resulting in carburetor ice and subsequent partial loss of engine power.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 15, 2010 · about 7:37 pm local time
- Place
- King Salmon, Alaska · King Salmon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-14 · all PA-14s on the register
- Registration
- N5126H · registry record · serial 14-135
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that the weather at his destination airport had deteriorated to a 500-700 foot ceiling with 10 miles of visibility. He was instructed by air traffic control personnel to hold outside the airport's controlled airspace, and to expect a special visual flight rules clearance in 30 minutes. Throughout the hold, the pilot cycled the carburetor heat intermittently on and off. After about 25 minutes holding, he decided to reposition to a location between his destination and alternate airport. As he started to fly towards this new position, the engine began losing rpm and running rough. He applied carburetor heat and full mixture, but the engine continued to run rough. He made a forced landing along the edge of a stream, during which the right wing and fuselage received substantial damage. About the time of the accident, the destination airport reported both the temperature and dew point as 07 degrees Celsius. According to the Federal Aviation Administration Carburetor Icing Probability Chart, an aircraft encountering those ambient conditions could expect serious carburetor icing while at cruise power. Examination of the airplane and engine revealed no mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation.
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 (partial) during maneuvering (low-alt flying) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- factor Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › Conducive to carburetor icing › Effect on equipment
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,089 hours in all; 229 in this make and model; 74 in the last 90 days; 31 in the last 30 days; 3,353 as pilot in command; 1,452 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 12, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,408 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 18, 2010
- Maximum gross weight: 1,850 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KAIG Igiugig AK at 1:30 pm
- Destination: PAKN King Salmon AK
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 500 ft
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.20 inHg
- Observation at 2:54 pm from PAKN, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.