# Accident 19980924026669A: Piper PA20135, Farewell, AK, September 24, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 24, 1998, 11:10 local time
- Place: Farewell, AK
- Airport: Farewell Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff Ground Roll
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 63.6110° N, 154.7805° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=63.6110&lon=-154.7805&mi=10
- Aircraft: N2106A, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N2106A-2007-10-26) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-20-135 (registry code 7102010, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-20-135) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-290 series (registry code 41506, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-290-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA20135
- Reported engine: LYC O320A1A
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 716 total, 700 in this make and model, 15 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC98LA158](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC98LA158) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980924026669A

## Narrative

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

ACFT CRASHED UNDER UNKNOWN CICUM AND SUSTAINED SUB DAMAGE. (.19) ON SEPTEMBER 24, 1998, ABOUT 1110 ALASKA DAYLIGHT TIME, A PIPER PA-20 AIRPLANE, N2106A, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING TAKEOFF FROM AN OFF AIRPORT GRAVEL BAR, ABOUT 42 MILES SOUTHEAST OF MCGRATH, ALASKA, NEAR POSITION 62 DEGREES 30 MINUTES NORTH LATITUDE, 154 DEGREES 20 MINUTES WEST LONGITUDE. THE PRIVATE PILOT AND SOLE PASSENGER WERE UNINJURED. THE AIRPLANE WAS OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE PILOT UNDER 14 CFR PART 91 AS A PERSONAL FLIGHT FROM A HUNTING CAMP TO FAREWELL, ALASKA. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE ACCIDENT PILOT, AND THE PILOT OF ANOTHER AIRPLANE THAT WAS USING THE SAME GRAVEL BAR, RELATED TO THE NTSB INVESTIGATOR-IN-CHARGE DURING A TELEPHONE INTERVIEW ON SEPTEMBER 25, 1998, THAT THERE WAS A LEFT CROSSWIND. DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL, THE AIRPLANE BOUNCED, DRIFTED TO THE RIGHT, THE RIGHT WING CONTACTED TREES, AND THE LEFT WHEEL HOOKED ON A TREE STUMP. (.4)THE PRIVATE PILOT WAS TAKING OFF FROM A GRAVEL BAR WITH A NARROW AREA FREE OF OBSTRUCTIONS. DURING THE TAKEOFF RUN, THE AIRPLANE HIT A BERM, BOUNCED INTO THE AIR, AND DRIFTED TO THE  RIGHT. THE RIGHT WING CONTACTED A TREE, AND THE LEFT TIRE HOOKED ON A STUMP. (-23) PILOT REPORTED THAT ON TAKEOFF FROM A GRAVEL BAR THE AIRCRAFT HIT A DIP OR BUMP WHICH ALLOWED THE AIRCRAFT TO DRIFT WITH THE 3-5 MPH CROSS WIND, CAUSING THE RIGHT WING TIP TO STRIKE SOME BRUSH AND THE LEFT GEAR LEG TO MAKE CONTACT WITH A TREE ROOT PROTRUDING FROM THE RIVER GRAVEL. HE REPORTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS APPROXIMATELY 2 FT OFF THE GROUND WHEN IT HIT AND SPUN IN A CLOCKWISE DIRECTION AND OUT OF CONTROL. NEITHER OCCUPANTS WERE INJURED IN ANY MANNER AS THE AIRCRAFT ABSORBED ALL THE ENERGY PRODUCED DURING IMPACT.

## 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 ANC98LA158](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC98LA158), Sep 24, 1998: Piper PA-20 (N2106A), Mcgrath, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The failure of the pilot to maintain directional control during takeoff. Factors involved in the accident were a crosswind, and the trees adjacent to the takeoff area.

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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