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19990731043879A

Accident · No damage
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FAA accident report · Piper PA-18-150 · Big Creek, ID · July 31, 1999

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
July 31, 1999 · 10:00 local
Place
Big Creek, ID
Airport
Big Creek Airport
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
No damage
Aircraft
N6741L
NTSB investigation
NTSBSEA99LA132
Reported as
Piper PA18150
N6741LRegistered now · Piper PA-18-150S/N 18-7409121 · Built 1974Airframe modelPiper PA-18-150Engine 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.

(-23) During takeoff from Big Creek airstrip, Big Creek, ID., (60), on run way 18, the pilot stated his aircraft pitched to the left more than usual. He applied right rudder and right brake, bringing the aircraft back to the center line; as he applied more power while releasing drag on the right brake. At this point he completely released the right brake, only to have the aircraft veer sharply to the left once again. To avoid hitting a small tree head on, he applied hard left rudder, causing the aircraft to ground loop, striking the tree with the right wing just outboard of the right fuel tank. The leading edge of the right wing, (just outboard of the right main fuel tank), received crushing "u" shaped damage, approx. (12IN) acorss. The right side of the aircraft was damaged from the firewall aft to the tail; most significantly, in the area of the aft door post and back (36 in) to the battery location. The force of the tree damage to the right wing caused the upper aft. Cabin area to buckle in; at the aft seat back location. (Note: the passenger narrowly avoided potential head injuries when she leaned forward during the crash). The right axle was sheared off just inboard of the wheel attachment; as a result of the ground loop. (Note: tundra tires installed, size: 29X13X6). Both prop tips were curled forward. The pilot has stated, he thought his passenger may have inadvertently applied pressure on the aft left heel brake pedal; causing the directional control problem he experienced during takeoff. He also mentioned he had failed to caution the passenger, (during the preflight briefing), on keeping her boots clear of the brake pedals. An inspection of the aircraft's rudder control and brake system revealed no abnormalities, except for the right brake line that was severed with the axle and wheel assembly. The left brake caliper assembly was free of any obstruction and the wheel rotated freely. There was no evidence of anything that may have temporarily lodged in the left brake or between the wheel and brake assembly.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) DURING TAKEOFF FROM BIG CREEK AIRSTRIP, BIG CREEK, ID., (60), ON RUN WAY 18, THE PILOT STATED HIS AIRCRAFT PITCHED TO THE LEFT MORE THAN USUAL. HE APPLIED RIGHT RUDDER AND RIGHT BRAKE, BRINGING THE AIRCRAFT BACK TO THE CENTER LINE; AS HE APPLIED MORE POWER WHILE RELEASING DRAG ON THE RIGHT BRAKE. AT THIS POINT HE COMPLETELY RELEASED THE RIGHT BRAKE, ONLY TO HAVE THE AIRCRAFT VEER SHARPLY TO THE LEFT ONCE AGAIN. TO AVOID HITTING A SMALL TREE HEAD ON, HE APPLIED HARD LEFT RUDDER, CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO GROUND LOOP, STRIKING THE TREE WITH THE RIGHT WING JUST OUTBOARD OF THE RIGHT FUEL TANK. THE LEADING EDGE OF THE RIGHT WING, (JUST OUTBOARD OF THE RIGHT MAIN FUEL TANK), RECEIVED CRUSHING "U" SHAPED DAMAGE, APPROX. (12IN) ACORSS. THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE AIRCRAFT WAS DAMAGED FROM THE FIREWALL AFT TO THE TAIL; MOST SIGNIFICANTLY, IN THE AREA OF THE AFT DOOR POST AND BACK (36 IN) TO THE BATTERY LOCATION. THE FORCE OF THE TREE DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT WING CAUSED THE UPPER AFT. CABIN AREA TO BUCKLE IN; AT THE AFT SEAT BACK LOCATION. (NOTE: THE PASSENGER NARROWLY AVOIDED POTENTIAL HEAD INJURIES WHEN SHE LEANED FORWARD DURING THE CRASH). THE RIGHT AXLE WAS SHEARED OFF JUST INBOARD OF THE WHEEL ATTACHMENT; AS A RESULT OF THE GROUND LOOP. (NOTE: TUNDRA TIRES INSTALLED, SIZE: 29X13X6). BOTH PROP TIPS WERE CURLED FORWARD. THE PILOT HAS STATED, HE THOUGHT HIS PASSENGER MAY HAVE INADVERTENTLY APPLIED PRESSURE ON THE AFT LEFT HEEL BRAKE PEDAL; CAUSING THE DIRECTIONAL CONTROL PROBLEM HE EXPERIENCED DURING TAKEOFF. HE ALSO MENTIONED HE HAD FAILED TO CAUTION THE PASSENGER, (DURING THE PREFLIGHT BRIEFING), ON KEEPING HER BOOTS CLEAR OF THE BRAKE PEDALS. AN INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT'S RUDDER CONTROL AND BRAKE SYSTEM REVEALED NO ABNORMALITIES, EXCEPT FOR THE RIGHT BRAKE LINE THAT WAS SEVERED WITH THE AXLE AND WHEEL ASSEMBLY. THE LEFT BRAKE CALIPER ASSEMBLY WAS FREE OF ANY OBSTRUCTION AND THE WHEEL ROTATED FREELY. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF ANYTHING THAT MAY HAVE TEMPORARILY LODGED IN THE LEFT BRAKE OR BETWEEN THE WHEEL AND BRAKE ASSEMBLY.

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 SEA99LA132Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportBig Creek, IDThe pilot-in-command's improper remedial action (continued takeoff). Contributing factors were the tree and control interference (inadvertent brake activation) by the passenger..Jul 31, 1999 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N6741L · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Accident 20190917014539ATakeoff: Departure Roll · New Meadows, IDTailwheel flight instruction was being conducted at the New Meadows Airport on a grass strip in New Meadows, Idaho. The intention was to conduct take off and landing training at the same New Meadows Airport. Mid field on the east side of the runway has a tree…Sep 17, 2019 · Substantial damage