No fatalities

5 Sep 2011: PIPER PA-12 — RODRIGUEZ GAMALIEL I — North Pole, AK

North Pole, AK, United States

On 5 Sep 2011, a PIPER PA-12 operated by RODRIGUEZ GAMALIEL I was involved in an aviation accident near North Pole, AK. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed during takeoff, resulting in an aerodynamic stall and collision with the water. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

A floatplane pilot aborted two takeoffs from a pond due to failure to become airborne, then stalled and impacted the water on a third attempt after feeling unable to clear trees.

Incident Overview

The pilot of a float-equipped airplane reported that he aborted two takeoffs to the north from a float pond after the airplane failed to become airborne at his no-go decision point. According to the pilot, the wind was variable during these attempts.

Third Takeoff Attempt

A third takeoff was initiated to the south. The airplane lifted off prior to reaching the no-go point, but the pilot stated he felt he was not going to clear the trees at the shoreline. He noted that the wind may have changed direction or quit, and the airplane was near stall airspeed.

Stall and Impact

The pilot reported that he had no option but to increase the pitch attitude, at which time the airplane stalled and impacted the pond. No further details were provided regarding injuries or damage.

Pilot Statements

The pilot indicated that the wind may have changed direction or ceased, contributing to the airplane being near stall airspeed. He believed that increasing pitch was the only remaining action, which resulted in the stall and subsequent impact with the pond.

Contributing factors

Causes

Airspeed — Not attained/maintainedPilot

Other contributing factors

Capability exceeded