Rep. Mary Peltola’s husband was flying with 520 pounds of moose meat, antlers strapped to wing at time of fatal crash

New York Post ^ | Sep. 29, 2023 | Yaron Steinbuch

[nickcarraway]

The husband of Democratic Rep. Mary Peltola was ferrying more than 500 pounds of moose and antlers from a remote hunting camp in Alaska when his small plane crashed shortly after takeoff earlier this month, officials said.

Eugene Peltola Jr., 57, the sole person aboard the Piper PA-18, was found conscious but died at the scene after it crashed Sept. 12 near the village of St. Mary’s, some 500 miles west of Fairbanks, the National Transportation Safety Board said in its initial report Thursday.

Two days before the crash, Peltola took five hunters, a guide and equipment from Holy Cross to a site about 80 miles northwest of the community, where they set up camp next to a landing strip.

[Governor Dinwiddie]

Don't jump to conclusions. The NTSB will be putting the antlers through extensive wind tunnel testing all next month.

[Governor Dinwiddie]

Don't jump to conclusions. The NTSB will be putting the antlers through extensive wind tunnel testing all next month.

[Robert A Cook PE]

Ya ain’t got no moose antlers on that “streamlined body” teardrop strut.

[alexander_busek]

You shoot a moose, take a moose, harvest a moose or kill a moose.

Can one bag a moose?

Regards,

[servo1969]

If any article deserves to be posted in Cheese, Moose, Sister it's this one.

[Red Badger]

Moose ain’t real good at flying..................

[SaveFerris]

Yeah

[Cold_Red_Steel]

They goof around, kick seats and distract the pilot!

[ProtectOurFreedom]

"There is nothing in our preflight checklist that mentions it so maybe it’s okay."

When was the last time you were qualified on a Piper PA-18 SuperCub? It's right there on the Right Wing.

[Eagles6]

I saw that, too.🤣

[Eagles6]

I know he was married to a rat and was, probably, a rat, too, but he was living a dream.

[Celtic Conservative]

Overloaded, possibly imbalanced center of gravity.

CC

[Flint]

PA-18A-180 Payload W/Full Fuel: 330 Lb Max Payload: 570 Lb appears to be overloaded.

I'd say 520 lbs of meat and another 150 lbs. of antlers, and them strapped to one side of the craft might just cause a problem.

[sphinx]

Reindeer can fly. Moose can’t.

[VanShuyten]

“… was ferrying more than 500 pounds of moose and antlers…
Eugene Peltola Jr., 57, the sole person aboard the Piper PA-18…
Two days before the crash, Peltola took five hunters, a guide and equipment…”

There’s some other reason for the crash, as seven people+equipment weigh less than one person+600 lbs of moose meat and antlers.

[dljordan]

Destroying a PA-18 is a crime.

[dforest]

That is akin to strapping Chris Christie into the seat of your plane.

[Lurker]

“ Can one bag a moose?”

Yes. But it must be a very large bag.

L

[liberalh8ter]

he was living a dream

He sure was if he loaded 500 pounds of moose meat and antlers onto a plane with a 570 pound payload pre-fuel.

[Vaduz]

Another case of spare the duct tape spoil the job.

Redd Green