N27293 – PIPER PA 18-135 – 2014-06-19 NTSB Accident Report

On June 19, 2014, a Piper PA 18-135 (N27293) was involved in an incident near Beluga, AK. All 1 person 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 loss of control when encountering a downdraft during the initial climb after takeoff, resulting in a collision with brush and terrain.

The pilot reported that he was departing from a small remote lake in a float-equipped airplane. He said that during the initial climb he encountered a strong downdraft, and he selected an area of marshy, brush-covered terrain as a forced landing site. During touchdown, the left wing collided with a stand of tall brush, which pivoted the airplane 90-degrees to the left, and the airplane's left float subsequently struck the shoreline. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

This incident is documented in NTSB report ANC14CA043. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N27293.