N9217D – PIPER PA-22-160 – 2010-06-01 NTSB Accident Report

On June 01, 2010, a Piper PA-22-160 (N9217D) was involved in an incident near Port Alsworth, AK. All 2 people aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.

The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: The pilot's selection of unsuitable terrain for takeoff and inability to abort the takeoff, resulting in an overrun into the water.

The pilot was departing from a gravel bar (1,200 feet long as estimated by the pilot, sand and gravel) on a Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight when the accident occurred. He stated that prior to the takeoff he examined the gravel bar for the firmest ground for the takeoff roll. After the tail came up, during the takeoff roll, the pilot realized that he was not aligned along his intended takeoff path. The pilot was not able to abort the takeoff roll and rolled from the gravel bar to the water. The airplane came to rest in the water inverted resulting in substantial damage to both wings and the empennage. The pilot verified that there were no mechanical anomalies with the airplane prior to the accident.

This incident is documented in NTSB report ANC10CA047. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N9217D.