History of Flight
On December 7, 2016, about 0935 Alaska standard time, a wheel-equipped Piper PA-28-180 airplane, N8648N, impacted the open waters of Lake Clark shortly after departure from Port Alsworth Airport (PALJ), Port Alsworth, Alaska. The noninstrument-rated private pilot and three passengers are missing and presumed to have sustained fatal injuries. The airplane was not recovered and is presumed to have sustained substantial damage. The airplane was registered to a private individual in Port Alsworth, and the pilot had rented it for a 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 visual flight rules cross-country personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at departure, but instrument meteorological conditions were reported along the anticipated route. The flight departed about 0930, destined for Merrill Field Airport (PAMR), Anchorage, Alaska. No flight plan was filed.
A friend of the pilot and passengers reported to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) that the three passengers were part of a family traveling to Anchorage to meet other family members. They had originally booked a scheduled air carrier flight but canceled to fly with the pilot. Another family member departed on the scheduled flight.
A pilot completing a flight from Anchorage to PALJ around the accident time spoke with the accident pilot shortly after departure. The pilot reported that cloud tops were about 2,000 ft and that, from his perspective, it looked open at Miller Valley, about 10 miles northeast of PALJ along Lake Clark's north shore. The accident pilot replied, “looking good under here, I'm gonna keep going.” No further radio transmissions were received.
When the airplane failed to arrive in Anchorage, family and friends reported it overdue. An alert notice was issued by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) at 1501 on December 7, and an extensive search began. The airplane was equipped with a 406 MHz emergency locator transmitter, but no signal was received by search personnel.
On December 8, about 1530, searchers located personal items floating about 11 miles northeast of the airport in Lake Clark, later identified as belonging to the occupants. Also recovered were three landing gear wheel assemblies, a co-pilot seat, and cargo. The rest of the airplane was not located and is presumed to have sunk. The official search was suspended on December 12, 2016, by Lake Clark National Park and Preserve and the Alaska State Troopers. Family and volunteers continued searching.
Personnel Information
The pilot, age 25, held a private pilot certificate with an airplane single-engine land rating. His most recent third class medical certificate was issued on February 1, 2013, with the limitation “must wear corrective lenses.” A logbook recovered from Lake Clark showed a last entry dated November 9, 2016, for a flight in the accident airplane. Total flight time listed was 257.2 hours.
Aircraft Information
The airplane was manufactured in 1971 and equipped with a Lycoming O-360 series engine. It was not equipped or certified for flight into known icing conditions. No airframe or engine logbooks were located.
Meteorological Information
The closest official weather station was at PALJ, about 8 miles southwest of the accident site. PALJ used Aviation Paid Weather Observers (A-Paid). Between December 5 and 7, there were four observations taken. The only observation on the accident day was timestamped 1459: wind from 140° at 5 knots, 7 miles visibility, overcast ceiling at 500 ft agl, temperature 3°F, dew point 0°F, altimeter 30.18 inHg.
Iliamna Airport (PAIL), 40 miles southwest, reported at 0911: wind from 360° at 13 knots gusting to 23 knots, 10 miles visibility, overcast ceiling at 1,100 ft agl, temperature -3°C, dew point 1°F, altimeter 30.17 inHg. At 0953: wind from 360° at 16 knots gusting to 22 knots, 10 miles visibility, overcast ceiling at 1,200 ft agl, temperature -3°F, dew point 1°F, altimeter 30.16 inHg.
An FAA weather camera at Lake Clark Pass, about 8 miles east-northeast of the accident site, captured images at 0941 and 0951 showing limited visibility.
The closest upper air sounding from King Salmon, Alaska (PAKN), 124 miles southwest, indicated a conditionally unstable layer near the surface with an inversion and likely clouds from the surface to 10,000 ft. Moderate or greater icing conditions were indicated between 750 ft and 6,500 ft.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The airplane is presumed to have sustained substantial damage during impact with Lake Clark shortly after takeoff. Due to lake depths of about 500 ft in some locations, no search and recovery efforts were planned at the time of the report.
Medical and Pathological Information
The pilot's remains have not been located; no pathological or toxicology information exists. At his last medical examination, the pilot reported no medical concerns, and no significant issues were noted by the aviation medical examiner.