Glennallen, AK, USA
N5965H
PIPER PA 16
The pilot was departing in a tailwheel-equipped airplane from a remote, rough, uneven gravel bar. The pilot reported that during the takeoff run, the airplane did not accelerate as he had anticipated. He said that as the airplane became airborne, it collided with a stand of trees at the end of the site, sustaining substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. The pilot stated that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
The pilot was departing in a tailwheel-equipped airplane from a remote, rough, uneven gravel bar. The pilot reported that during the takeoff run, the airplane did not accelerate as he had anticipated. He said that as the airplane became airborne, it collided with a stand of trees at the end of the site, sustaining substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. The pilot stated that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot also confessed that he initially elected not to report the accident, but later realized that the airplane wreckage had been photographed as part of a reality television show. The pilot did not submit the required 6120.1 Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident/Incident Report.
The pilot's loss of control during the initial climb after takeoff, resulting in a collision with trees.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
Aviation Accidents App
In-Depth Access to Aviation Accident Reports
