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).
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 November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 10, 2021 · about 4:00 am local time · cases in 2021
- Place
- North Pole, Alaska · Airway · cases near this airport · 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 during takeoff/land 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 |
Photographs from the investigation 2 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photo 1 – Forward facing view of accident airplane at accident site.
Photo 2 – Rear facing view of accident airplane at accident site.The NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on March 18, 2022. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 2 | Witness Statements | PDF, 5 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Photos | PDF, 2 pages · our copy | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N1441H on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Aeronca 15 162 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Aeronca 3,953 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Cont Motor C145 SERIES 1,828 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Airway Airport · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in Alaska 5,932 since 1982 · 825 in the last ten years
- Alaska 9,142 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/ANC21LA087.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.