# Accident 20081220857449A: Piper PA18, Willow, AK, December 20, 2008

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 20, 2008, 15:30 local time
- Place: Willow, AK
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Departure Roll
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 61.5572° N, 150.8564° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=61.5572&lon=-150.8564&mi=10
- Aircraft: N4131Z, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N4131Z) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-18-150 (registry code 7101828, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-18-150) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA18
- Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport
- Pilot flight hours: 10,100 total, 315 in this make and model, 50 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC09CA014](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC09CA014) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20081220857449A

## Narrative

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

ACCORDING TO A STATEMENT PROVIDED BY THE AIRMAN A TAKEOFF WAS ATTEMPTED WITH A SKI EQUIPPED AIRCRAFT FROM A 900 FOOT SNOW COVERED STRIP LOCATED 30 MILES NORTHWEST OF ANCHORAGE. DURING THE INITIAL PHASE OF TAKEOFF THE AIRMAN FELT THE ENGINE WAS PRODUCING ADEQUATE POWER. HOWEVER, AS THE TAKEOFF ROLL PROGRESSED HE FELT THE ENGINE WAS NOT PRODUCING ENOUGH POWER TO CONTINUE AND REJECTED THE TAKEOFF. DURING THE ROLLOUT THE AIRCRAFT CONTACTED A SMALL TREE CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE ELEVATOR AND HORIZONTAL STABILIZER.

## 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 ANC09CA014](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC09CA014), Dec 20, 2008: Piper PA-18-150 (N4131Z), Willow, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: A partial loss of engine power during takeoff, which prevented the airplane from reaching takeoff airspeed, resulting in an aborted takeoff, and an on-ground collision with a tree.

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.