# Accident 19980622020309A: Piper PA18150, Cold Bay, AK, June 22, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 22, 1998, 11:13 local time
- Place: Cold Bay, AK
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff Ground Roll
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 55.2198° N, 162.7808° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=55.2198&lon=-162.7808&mi=10
- Aircraft: N745 (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA18150
- Reported engine: LYC O320B2B
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 3,150 total, 116 in this make and model, 48 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC98TA083](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC98TA083) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980622020309A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

US FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE FLIGHT. LEFT WING HIT GROUND ON A CROSSWIND BEACH TAKEOFF FAILED PROPER CONTROL USE. (FROM .4) THE CERTIFICATED COMMERCIAL PILOT AND A PASSENGER, WERE DEPARTING A REMOTE AREA OF BEACH IN A TAIL WHEEL EQUIPPED AIRPLANE.  THE U.S. GOVERNMENT FLIGHT WAS FOR THE PURPOSE OF PICKING UP THE PASSENGER WHO HAD BEEN ENGAGED IN A FISHERY SURVEILLANCE.  THE PILOT BEGAN THE TAKEOFF ROLL TOWARD THE WEST, PARALLELING THE SHORELINE.  A CROSSWIND FROM THE SOUTHWEST WAS BLOWING FROM THE BEACH TOWARD THE WATER.  DURING TAKEOFF, THE AIRPLANE VEERED TO THE RIGHT.  THE PILOT LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE, AND THE AIRPLANE DROPPED OFF THE EDGE OF A 5 FOOT HIGH SAND DUNE AND HIT IN AN AREA OF HARD, WET SAND.  THE AIRPLANE SUBSEQUENTLY GROUND LOOPED TO THE RIGHT, AND SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.  (-23) A DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR AIRCRAFT, OPERATED BY FISH AND WILDLIFE, CRASHED DURING TAKEOFF FROM A REMOTE BEACH ON UNIMAK ISLAND. THE PILOT BEGAN A TAKEOFF PARALLELING THE SHORELINE. A RIGHT CROSSWIND OF ABOUT 12 KNOTS WAS BLOWING FROM THE WATER TOWARD THE BEACH. DURING THE TAKEOFF THE AIRPLANE LIFTED OFF BUT WAS BLOWN TO THE LEFT. THE LEFT WING STRUCK THE GROUND AND TH E AIRPLANE CAME TO REST UPRIGHT AFTER PIVOTING ABOUT 160 DEGREES.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB ANC98TA083](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC98TA083), Jun 22, 1998: Piper PA-18 (N745), Cold Bay, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's inadequate compensation for crosswind conditions. The presence of a crosswind was a factor in the accident.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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