Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Red Devil Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Red Devil, Alaska 99656
Tuesady, August 13, 2002 16:00 AKD
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The commercial certificated pilot reported that during the initial climb after takeoff, as he was making a crosswind to downwind turn, the engine began to run rough and lose power. The airplane was unable to maintain altitude and collided with trees along a ridgeline, about 1.5 miles from the departure airport. Rising terrain is located on either side of the airport's location in a river valley. Due to the remoteness of the area, a postaccident examination of the engine was not conducted.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
A partial loss of engine power for an undetermined reason during the initial climb after takeoff that resulted in a collision with trees. A contributing factor in the accident was rising terrain which was unsuitable for a forced landing.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 8/13/2002 |
| Event Day of the Week | Tuesday |
| Time of Event | 1600 |
| Event Time Zone | -- |
| Event City | RED DEVIL |
| Event State | ALASKA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 99656 |
| Event Date Year | 2002 |
| Event Date Month | 8 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 614716N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1572053W |
| Event Location Airport | RED DEVIL |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | RDV |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 1.5 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 325 |
| Airport Elevation | 210 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Unknown |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1555 Atlantic Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 112 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | PASV |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 1583 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 66 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | ADT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 4700 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 15 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 4 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 230 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 5 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.25 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Minor |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | 3 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 3 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 13036 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA-AL-ANC FSDO 03 |
| NTSB Notification Date | Aug 15 2002 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1027 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 29 2003 4:26PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | FAA-AL-ANC FSDO 03 |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N3853W |
| NTSB Number | ANC02LA095 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Piper |
| Aircraft Model | PA-32-260 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 32-0794 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 3400 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 6 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Aug 18 2001 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 281 |
| Airframe Hours | 4529 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | GARY KESSINGER |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | RED DEVIL |
| Aircraft Owner State | AK |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 99656 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | WARD H. SATTLER |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | STONY RIVER |
| Operator State | AK |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 99557 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | -- |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| Operator Certificate Number | -- |
| Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not | -- |
| Indicates Domestic or International Flight | -- |
| Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail | -- |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | Business |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | RDV |
| Departure City | RED DEVIL |
| Departure State | AK |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1600 |
| Departure Time Zone | ADT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | SRV |
| Destination City | STONY RIVER |
| Destination State | AK |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Takeoff - initial climb |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Feb 10 2003 4:01PM |
| User who most recently changed record | PETL |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 27 |
| Runway Length | 4750 |
| Runway Width | 74 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |