Lake LA-4 accident near Saint Mary'S, Alaska, June 15, 1998
On June 15, 1998, a Lake LA-4, registered N19AK, was substantially damaged in an accident near Saint Mary'S, Alaska. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's diverted attention during takeoff, and his failure to maintain a proper climb rate. A factor associated with the accident was the presence of birds.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 15, 1998
- Place
- Saint Mary'S, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Lake LA-4 · all LA-4s on the register
- Registration
- N19AK · registry record · serial 380
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The certificated commercial pilot was departing from a river after a day of fishing. The pilot reported that just after takeoff, about 15 feet above the water, two ducks flew into the path of the departing airplane, distracting his attention. The pilot stated that the birds passed on the right side of the airplane, about 6 feet from the windscreen. The next thing the pilot recalls was seeing trees that filled his entire field of view. The airplane's left wing sponson collided with a stand of trees, pivoted the airplane 180 degrees to the left, and the airplane settled into a larger stand of trees. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and fuselage.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 12,000 hours in all; 2,000 in this make and model; 199 in the last 90 days; 109 in the last 30 days; 11,800 as pilot in command; 2,900 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,290 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 1998; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KSM AK at 1:50 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 8 knots, gusting 11
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,500 ft; scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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.