Piper PA 22-150 accident near Talkeetna, Alaska, May 16, 2015
On May 16, 2015 at about 5:30 pm local time, a 1957 Piper PA 22-150, registered N7347D, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern final) near Talkeetna, Alaska. It was an instructional 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 private pilot's failure to maintain clearance from a spruce tree during final approach, which resulted in a loss of control and hard landing. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor's failure to adequately monitor the landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 16, 2015 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Talkeetna, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA 22-150 160, built 1957 · all PA 22-150s on the register
- Registration
- N7347D · registry record · serial 22-5138
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor and private pilot were practicing takeoffs and landings in a float-equipped airplane. The flight instructor stated that on the seventh approach to landing, the private pilot misjudged the airplane's rate of descent, and struck the top of a spruce tree with the right elevator resulting in a full up deflection of the elevator. The airplane entered an uncontrolled descent, and impacted the water in a flat stalled condition sustaining substantial damage to the fuselage and elevator. The flight instructor stated that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane 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
- Miscellaneous/other during approach (VFR pattern final) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during approach (VFR pattern final)
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent/approach/glide path › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- factor Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Task monitoring/vigilance › Instructor/check pilot
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,400 hours in all; 260 in this make and model; 48 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 2,340 as pilot in command; 460 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 5, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 488 hours in all; 11 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 415 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 24, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,281.7 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 15, 2015
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 SERIES (piston); 1,943 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Talkeetna AK
- Destination: Talkeetna AK
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from PATK, 14 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 2 |
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 ANC15CA026.