Piper PA-24 approached low and fast before Seldovia crash, NTSB finds
The aircraft bounced multiple times on the runway before going off the end and submerging, killing four occupants in an August accident near Alaska.
A Piper PA-24-260 that crashed near Alaska's Seldovia Airport in August was approaching the runway unusually low and fast, according to the National Transportation Safety Board's preliminary report published this week.
The accident killed the pilot and three passengers. Four occupants were aboard the aircraft when it departed Anchorage's Merrill Field on 26 August at around 1:17 p.m. local time. The aircraft went off the end of the gravel runway and submerged in the Seldovia Slough adjacent to the airport.
According to Flying Magazine, which reported on the NTSB's preliminary findings, one witness said the aircraft bounced three times on Runway 16 and that he heard the engine go to full throttle, indicating an attempted go-around. That witness said the nosewheel appeared to hit the ground first, and after hearing the engine throttle up, the aircraft "pitched up very high and possibly had a tail strike."
A second witness described the PA-24 as flying "unusually low to the ground" past the end of the runway when attempting to land in the opposite direction of other traffic. Multiple witnesses reported the aircraft impacting a tree before descending into the water.
Runway 16 measures 1,845 feet. The FAA's chart supplement cites obstacles consisting of 158-foot trees approximately 1,735 feet from the runway threshold and 110 feet left of the centerline.
Weather conditions at the time were relatively benign. The Automated Surface Observing System reported wind from 020 at 5 knots with gusts to 9 knots, visibility of 10 statute miles, and a temperature of 55.4 degrees Fahrenheit.
People at the scene attempted to rescue the four occupants but could not reach them. The aircraft submerged completely in the water adjacent to the airport. All information in the NTSB's preliminary report is subject to change as the investigation continues.
The crash occurred less than one week after a chartered Cessna 441 crashed in a remote part of Alaska, killing both pilots and all six passengers.
Sources
Crashed PA-24 in Alaska Was Approaching Low and Fast, Witnesses Tell NTSB · Accessed 2026-09-17T16:31:12+00:00
