N4375B

On April 14, 2001, about 1130 Alaska daylight time, a wheel-equipped Piper PA-32R-301 airplane, N4375B, sustained substantial damage while landing at an off airport site located about 28 miles southeast of Emmonak, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) cross-country positioning flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The airplane was registered to, and operated by, Larry's Flying Service, Inc., Fairbanks, Alaska. The certificated commercial pilot, and the one passenger aboard, were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and VFR company flight following procedures were in effect. The flight originated from the Saint Mary's Airport, Saint Mary's, Alaska, about 1100.

In a written statement to the Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board, the pilot reported that while en route to his destination airport, he noticed a man standing beside a snow machine, waving his arms. He said that he descended to about 100 feet above the ground, and flew over the individual. The pilot stated that the man continued to wave his arms, leading the pilot to believe that the man needed help. The pilot said that he then climbed to 1,500 feet, called the Flight Service Station (FSS) , to advise them to send help. After being assured by the FSS specialist that help was on the way, he once again descended, and elected to drop a note to the man on the snow machine, to let him know help was on the way. The pilot wrote: "With gear down, and full flaps extended, I began approaching the man. At about 75 to 100 feet AGL, the aircraft began to stall. Recognizing the stall, I began to add full power, but the stall progressed to quickly, and subsequently caused the aircraft to touch down on a tributary of the Yukon River." He said that as the airplane touched down, the main wheels and right wing contacted deep snow, and the nose landing gear collapsed. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing.