What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Acft crashed on takeoff. (.19) on September 1, 1998, about 0900, a wheel equipped Piper PA-18 airplane, N7279K, sustained substantial damage when it collided with terrain during an attempted takeoff from a remote, off airport site located about 22 miles northwest of Anchorage, Alaska. The solo Private pilot was not injured. The local, 14 CFR part 91 flight operated in visual meteorological conditions without a flight plan. The intended destination was Anchorage. The pilot reported he had flown to the accident site the day before to hunt ducks. He said he was utilizing an unimproved site about 600 feet in length for takeoff and landing. On the accident takeoff, he indicated he was attempting to takeoff to the north. He estimated the wind to be from the east at 6 to 8 knots. During the takeoff roll, the airplane drited to the left, and went into the adjacent undergrowth. The airplane's main landing gear tires subsequently struck a log, and the airplane nosed over. (.4) the pilot reported he was attempting to takeoff from a remote, off-airport site. He estimated his takeoff site to be 500 feet long. He related that the airplane became airborne after approximately 300 feet of ground roll, but soon settled to the ground, and drifted to the left into undergrowth. The airplane subsequently encountered rough terrain, and nosed over. The pilot noted there were no preimpact mechanical problems with the airplane. (-23) during off airport takeoff pilot failed to maintain directional control due to cross wind. Aircraft settled into brush and hit a log. The unimproved site and the 600 feet available for takeoff with the crosswind of 6 to 8 knots exceeded pilots skill. Pilots basic skill and competency were verified by another inspector prior to accident.
As the FAA filed it
ACFT CRASHED ON TAKEOFF. (.19) ON SEPTEMBER 1, 1998, ABOUT 0900, A WHEEL EQUIPPED PIPER PA-18 AIRPLANE, N7279K, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHEN IT COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN DURING AN ATTEMPTED TAKEOFF FROM A REMOTE, OFF AIRPORT SITE LOCATED ABOUT 22 MILES NORTHWEST OF ANCHORAGE, ALASKA. THE SOLO PRIVATE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. THE LOCAL, 14 CFR PART 91 FLIGHT OPERATED IN VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS WITHOUT A FLIGHT PLAN. THE INTENDED DESTINATION WAS ANCHORAGE. THE PILOT REPORTED HE HAD FLOWN TO THE ACCIDENT SITE THE DAY BEFORE TO HUNT DUCKS. HE SAID HE WAS UTILIZING AN UNIMPROVED SITE ABOUT 600 FEET IN LENGTH FOR TAKEOFF AND LANDING. ON THE ACCIDENT TAKEOFF, HE INDICATED HE WAS ATTEMPTING TO TAKEOFF TO THE NORTH. HE ESTIMATED THE WIND TO BE FROM THE EAST AT 6 TO 8 KNOTS. DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL, THE AIRPLANE DRITED TO THE LEFT, AND WENT INTO THE ADJACENT UNDERGROWTH. THE AIRPLANE'S MAIN LANDING GEAR TIRES SUBSEQUENTLY STRUCK A LOG, AND THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER. (.4) THE PILOT REPORTED HE WAS ATTEMPTING TO TAKEOFF FROM A REMOTE, OFF-AIRPORT SITE. HE ESTIMATED HIS TAKEOFF SITE TO BE 500 FEET LONG. HE RELATED THAT THE AIRPLANE BECAME AIRBORNE AFTER APPROXIMATELY 300 FEET OF GROUND ROLL, BUT SOON SETTLED TO THE GROUND, AND DRIFTED TO THE LEFT INTO UNDERGROWTH. THE AIRPLANE SUBSEQUENTLY ENCOUNTERED ROUGH TERRAIN, AND NOSED OVER. THE PILOT NOTED THERE WERE NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WITH THE AIRPLANE. (-23) DURING OFF AIRPORT TAKEOFF PILOT FAILED TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DUE TO CROSS WIND. AIRCRAFT SETTLED INTO BRUSH AND HIT A LOG. THE UNIMPROVED SITE AND THE 600 FEET AVAILABLE FOR TAKEOFF WITH THE CROSSWIND OF 6 TO 8 KNOTS EXCEEDED PILOTS SKILL. PILOTS BASIC SKILL AND COMPETENCY WERE VERIFIED BY ANOTHER INSPECTOR PRIOR TO ACCIDENT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.