Piper PA-18-150 N24P accident near Skwentna, Alaska

Probable cause

The pilot's rapid application of throttle and carburetor heat causing the engine to hesitate and lose power during takeoff following an aborted landing.

NTSB analysis

The pilot reported he was landing the float-equipped airplane on a lake in visual meteorological conditions during a Title 14, CFR Part 91 personal flight. Shortly after touchdown, a gust of wind turned the airplane, and the pilot elected to abort the landing. He said when he applied full throttle and carburetor heat to takeoff, the engine "stumbled and hesitated" and the airplane would not climb. The airplane descended and landed hard on the nearby tundra, causing substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot and the sole passenger were not injured. In his written report to the NTSB, the pilot noted that there were no mechanical problems with the airplane that contributed to the accident, and that he should have applied the carburetor heat more slowly while operating at altitude.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ANC10CA097 for the full record.