Cessna 172 accident near Palmer, AK
On October 29, 2016, a Cessna 172 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Palmer, AK. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- October 29, 2016
- Place
- Palmer, AK
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 61.482°N, 148.774°W
- NTSB ID
- 20161030X10526
Official records · ANC17FA003
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn October 29, 2016, about 1445 Alaska daylight time, a Cessna 172 airplane, N6353E, sustained substantial damage when it impacted terrain following a loss of control during takeoff initial climb from a remote, gravel-covered bar adjacent to the Knik River, about 12 miles southeast of Palmer, Alaska. The student pilot sustained fatal injuries. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight, which originated from the Wasilla Airport, Wasilla, Alaska, at an unknown time. According to friends and relatives of the pilot, the pilot was flying for recreational purposes as they were driving their all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) in the Knik River valley area for recreational purposes. A friend of the pilot reported that, at 1444, the pilot executed a touch-and-go landing to the southeast on a gravel bar adjacent to the Knik River, near Friday Creek, and about 8.5 miles northwest of the Knik Glacier. The airplane then climbed to about 100 ft above ground level (agl) and turned left (north) toward Friday Creek. According to the witness, by the time the airplane got to the tree line, it had descended to about 75 feet agl. The airplane was "banked pretty hard" as it continued to turn and lose altitude. The witness observed that, as the airplane continued to turn toward a southeast heading, it "dropped" and then impacted terrain. The witness reported that he did not hear a
Probable cause
The student pilot's exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack during a steep climbing turn following a touch-and-go landing, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall at too low of an altitude to recover.
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Browse: Alaska · Cessna aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
