ANC10LA025

Factual narrative

On March 15, 2010, about 1230 Alaska daylight time, a Britten-Norman BN-2A-21 airplane, N663SA, sustained substantial damage following a loss of control and impact with terrain during takeoff initial climb at the Kodiak Airport, Kodiak, Alaska. The airplane was being operated by Servant Air, Kodiak, as a visual flight rules (VFR) passenger flight under Title 14, CFR Part 135, when the accident occurred. The airline transport pilot and one passenger received serious injuries, and the second passenger received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and company flight following procedures were in effect. The flight was bound for Old Harbor, Alaska. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC) on March 17, an FAA air safety inspector who interviewed witnesses at the airport, said one witness who was familiar with the Britten-Norman airplane said he saw the airplane at full power attempting to out climb the terrain at the end of the runway, before it descended into the trees. The witness reported that the right wing of the airplane struck the trees first, and then rolled left, striking trees with its left wing, and then continued its descent into the trees. In a written statement to the NTSB dated March 23, the pilot said that the wind was reported as from 290-300 degrees, at 15 knots, gusting to 27 knots, and he chose to make an intersection takeoff on runway 25 at the intersection of runway 25 and runway 29. He said his airspeed did not develop as quickly as he had anticipated. The pilot reported that with his airspeed lagging and poor climb performance, he realized the airplane was not going to clear the ridge at the end of the runway. He said he initiated a right descending turn to maintain his airspeed, and flared for impact with the trees. The statement also indicated that there were no mechanical problems with the airplane prior to the accident. The airline transport pilot was taking off on a passenger flight under Title 14, CFR Part 135, when the accident occurred. He reported that during takeoff the wind was reported from 290-300 degrees, at 15 knots, gusting to 27 knots. He chose to make an intersection takeoff on runway 25 at its intersection with runway 29, rather than use the full length of runway 29. He said his airspeed did not develop as quickly as he had anticipated, and that with his airspeed lagging and poor climb performance, he realized the airplane was not going to clear the ridge at the end of the runway. He said he initiated a right descending turn to maintain his airspeed, but impacted trees alongside the runway. He reported that the airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and fuselage when it impacted trees. He said there were no mechanical problems with the airplane prior to the accident. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

• C Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Climb rate-Capability exceeded - C
• C Personnel issues-Action/decision-Info processing/decision-Decision making/judgment-Pilot - C
• — Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Wind-Crosswind-Effect on equipment
• — Environmental issues-Physical environment-Terrain-Mountainous/hilly terrain-Contributed to outcome