What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On August 30, 2013, PA-18 Piper cub was destroyed as a result of a post-crash fire shortly after it impacted the ground. The near vertical position of the aircraft indicated a loss of control resulting in a stall-spin which occurred during the initial climb moments after departing the Tatitna airport (8KA).
Previously that evening, pilot in command had accomplished 4 to 5 flights to transfer two family members, caribou meat and gear from an unimproved airstrip located near family member?s hunting location to the nearby Tatitna airport. From the Tatitna airport, the airman?s intention was to split the load into two flights, back to their final destination, big lake, Alaska. The first flight contained 90% of the caribou meat, antlers, (attached to the right wing struts) and various hunting items. The aircraft main tanks were topped off with fuel the airman had stashed for the longer leg home. At the last minute, the airman requested a family member go with him to help unload the meat at big lake. The airman and family member departed the east runway. Just after takeoff, the family member recalls the airman commenting on the underestimated tailwind. Moments later, the aircraft, producing power, stalled and broke to the right and impacted the ground less than 1000 yards north east the departure-end of the runway. The family member, sole survivor of the accident, sustained serious injuries and was later rescued.
As the FAA filed it
ON AUGUST 30, 2013, PA-18 PIPER CUB WAS DESTROYED AS A RESULT OF A POST-CRASH FIRE SHORTLY AFTER IT IMPACTED THE GROUND. THE NEAR VERTICAL POSITION OF THE AIRCRAFT INDICATED A LOSS OF CONTROL RESULTING IN A STALL-SPIN WHICH OCCURRED DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB MOMENTS AFTER DEPARTING THE TATITNA AIRPORT (8KA).
PREVIOUSLY THAT EVENING, PILOT IN COMMAND HAD ACCOMPLISHED 4 TO 5 FLIGHTS TO TRANSFER TWO FAMILY MEMBERS, CARIBOU MEAT AND GEAR FROM AN UNIMPROVED AIRSTRIP LOCATED NEAR FAMILY MEMBER?S HUNTING LOCATION TO THE NEARBY TATITNA AIRPORT. FROM THE TATITNA AIRPORT, THE AIRMAN?S INTENTION WAS TO SPLIT THE LOAD INTO TWO FLIGHTS, BACK TO THEIR FINAL DESTINATION, BIG LAKE, ALASKA. THE FIRST FLIGHT CONTAINED 90% OF THE CARIBOU MEAT, ANTLERS, (ATTACHED TO THE RIGHT WING STRUTS) AND VARIOUS HUNTING ITEMS. THE AIRCRAFT MAIN TANKS WERE TOPPED OFF WITH FUEL THE AIRMAN HAD STASHED FOR THE LONGER LEG HOME. AT THE LAST MINUTE, THE AIRMAN REQUESTED A FAMILY MEMBER GO WITH HIM TO HELP UNLOAD THE MEAT AT BIG LAKE. THE AIRMAN AND FAMILY MEMBER DEPARTED THE EAST RUNWAY. JUST AFTER TAKEOFF, THE FAMILY MEMBER RECALLS THE AIRMAN COMMENTING ON THE UNDERESTIMATED TAILWIND. MOMENTS LATER, THE AIRCRAFT, PRODUCING POWER, STALLED AND BROKE TO THE RIGHT AND IMPACTED THE GROUND LESS THAN 1000 YARDS NORTH EAST THE DEPARTURE-END OF THE RUNWAY. THE FAMILY MEMBER, SOLE SURVIVOR OF THE ACCIDENT, SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES AND WAS LATER RESCUED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.