Aeronca 15AC accident near North Pole, Alaska, September 10, 2021
On September 10, 2021 at about 4:00 am local time, a Aeronca 15AC, registered N1441H, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near North Pole, Alaska (Airway airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to ensure adequate obstacle clearance while maneuvering, which resulted in a collision with a tree and a loss of control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 10, 2021 · about 4:00 am local time
- Place
- North Pole, Alaska · Airway · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aeronca 15AC · all 15ACs on the register
- Registration
- N1441H · registry record · serial 15AC-506
- 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, he was conducting a touch-and-go in his float equipped airplane on a pond directly to the south of a private runway. After he completed the touch-and-go, and during the initial climb, he altered his course to the right for traffic departing from the nearby runway and impacted a tree. He attempted to return to the pond but was unable and subsequently impacted trees and a powerline, which resulted in substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operations.
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
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during takeoff defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring environment › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Tree(s) › Effect on equipment
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Last flight review: August 8, 2021
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 20, 2021
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor C145 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: VFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.59 inHg
- Observation at 7:58 pm from PAFB, 8 miles away
Weather report (METAR): PAFB 100358Z AUTO 00000KT 6SM HZ CLR 15/09 A2959 RMK AO2 SLP024 P0000 T01480091 $
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 ANC21LA087.