19980821027129A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA-18-150 · Fairbanks, AK · August 21, 1998

Date: August 21, 1998 · 15:00 local
Place: Fairbanks, AK
Airport: Private
Phase of flight: To Aborted (Fixed Wing)
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N74996
NTSB investigation: NTSBANC98TA128
Reported as: Piper PA18150
Reported engine: Lycoming O320A2B
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,266 total480 in this make and model79 in the last 90 days

N74996Registered now · Piper PA-18-150S/N 18-7509112 · Built 1975 Airframe modelPiper PA-18-150 Engine modelLycoming 0-320 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(.4)The certificated commercial pilot was conducting a public use flight in a remote area to inspect a small airstrip used by hunters. The airstrip was oriented north/south, and was about 650 feet long. During a landing at the aistrip, the pilot said the wind was from the south about 18 knots. After inspecting the airstrip, the pilot prepared to depart toward the south. The pilot reported that several trees, about 20 feet tall, were located at the south end of the airstrip. The pilot began a takeoff, and about halfway down the airstrip, he lowered the flaps. The airplane momentarily became airborne, but the pilot said he recognized the airplane was not going to clear the trees. He then raised the flaps, and applied heavy braking when the airplane again touched down. The airplane nosed over at the end of the aistrip. The airplane received damage to the propeller, tail assembly, and the fuselage.

As the FAA filed it

(.4)THE CERTIFICATED COMMERCIAL PILOT WAS CONDUCTING A PUBLIC USE FLIGHT IN A REMOTE AREA TO INSPECT A SMALL AIRSTRIP USED BY HUNTERS. THE AIRSTRIP WAS ORIENTED NORTH/SOUTH, AND WAS ABOUT 650 FEET LONG. DURING A LANDING AT THE AISTRIP, THE PILOT SAID THE WIND WAS FROM THE SOUTH ABOUT 18 KNOTS. AFTER INSPECTING THE AIRSTRIP, THE PILOT PREPARED TO DEPART TOWARD THE SOUTH. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT SEVERAL TREES, ABOUT 20 FEET TALL, WERE LOCATED AT THE SOUTH END OF THE AIRSTRIP. THE PILOT BEGAN A TAKEOFF, AND ABOUT HALFWAY DOWN THE AIRSTRIP, HE LOWERED THE FLAPS. THE AIRPLANE MOMENTARILY BECAME AIRBORNE, BUT THE PILOT SAID HE RECOGNIZED THE AIRPLANE WAS NOT GOING TO CLEAR THE TREES. HE THEN RAISED THE FLAPS, AND APPLIED HEAVY BRAKING WHEN THE AIRPLANE AGAIN TOUCHED DOWN. THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER AT THE END OF THE AISTRIP. THE AIRPLANE RECEIVED DAMAGE TO THE PROPELLER, TAIL ASSEMBLY, AND THE FUSELAGE.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB ANC98TA128Accident · No injuriesFinal reportFairbanks, AKThe pilot's inadequate preflight planning/preparation, and his delay in aborting the takeoff. Factors in the accident were a short runway area for takeoff, trees located at the end of the runway, and the pilot's excessive application of brakes.Aug 21, 1998 · Substantial damage