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) Pilot attempted take-off in a ski-equipped PA-18-150 from a 1500' snow-covered airstrip about 10 miles south of Talkeetna, Alaska. After liftoff, pilot encountered adverse winds. Pilot was unable to correct drift produced by wind and aircraft left airstrip and impacted trees along side of airstrip. Aircraft came to rest in trees about 20 feet off the ground. Pilot exited the aircraft and climbed down tree to the ground. Aircraft was substantially damaged. Pilot was unhurt. Weather at time of accident was VFR with light winds on the surface.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) PILOT ATTEMPTED TAKE-OFF IN A SKI-EQUIPPED PA-18-150 FROM A 1500' SNOW-COVERED AIRSTRIP ABOUT 10 MILES SOUTH OF TALKEETNA, ALASKA. AFTER LIFTOFF, PILOT ENCOUNTERED ADVERSE WINDS. PILOT WAS UNABLE TO CORRECT DRIFT PRODUCED BY WIND AND AIRCRAFT LEFT AIRSTRIP AND IMPACTED TREES ALONG SIDE OF AIRSTRIP. AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST IN TREES ABOUT 20 FEET OFF THE GROUND. PILOT EXITED THE AIRCRAFT AND CLIMBED DOWN TREE TO THE GROUND. AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. PILOT WAS UNHURT. WEATHER AT TIME OF ACCIDENT WAS VFR WITH LIGHT WINDS ON THE SURFACE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.