THE DTSB
Pending. Authorities said the plane hit trees during Go-around after second attempt to land, and then went down in Seldovia Slough around 1:18 p.m., coming to rest in roughly 13–17 feet of water near shore.
U-FITAQP: 16) MESSED UP GO-AROUND
Piper PA-24-260 | N9485P
- DTSB analysis published
Key facts
- DateAugust 26, 2026
- Local time1:15 PM
- LightDay
- WeatherVMC
- Phase of flightGo-Around
- People on board4
- Fatalities4
- AirportPASO
Accident Location
- City, State
- Seldovia, Alaska
- Latitude
- 59.434711
- Longitude
- -151.711292
- Airport ID
- PASO
Aircraft Info
- N Number
- N9485P
- Make
- Piper
- Model
- PA-24-260
- Category / Class
- Aircraft Single Engine Land
- Amateur Built
- No
Pilot Info
- Pilot in command
- Middlebrook, Eric M.
- Gender
- Male
- Age
- 68
- Certification
- Private Pilot
- IFR rating
- No
- Medical
- Basic Med
- Flight school
- No
- Instructional flight
- No
Analysis
- Weather
- VMC
- Time of day
- Day
- Phase of flight
- Go-Around
- Pilot error
- Yes
- Pilot incapacitation
- No
- People on board
- 4
- PIC fatality
- 1
- Passenger fatalities
- 3
- Total fatalities
- 4
- NTSB travel
- Yes
- AQP category
- 16) MESSED UP GO-AROUND →
Probable Cause
NTSB
None yet (final report not yet published).
Recommendation
THE DTSB
Pending.
NTSB
None issued. NTSB recommendations are rare and usually tied to high-profile accidents.
See the NTSB Recommendation Tracker →