# Accident 20140625010419A: Piper PA-18, Cantwell, AK, June 25, 2014

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 25, 2014, 10:30 local time
- Place: Cantwell, AK
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Rotation
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: ENGC
- Location: 63.3897° N, 146.9008° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=63.3897&lon=-146.9008&mi=10
- Aircraft: N72842 (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-18
- Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 8,000 total, 7,225 in this make and model, 1 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC14CA047](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC14CA047) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20140625010419A

## Narrative

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

AIRMAN WAS FLYING CARGO OUT OF GRAVEL STRIP NEAR E. SUSITNA GLACIER.  AIRMAN LANDED PRIOR WITHOUT INCIDENT.  AIRMAN REPORTED WEATHER AT THE TIME TO BE LIGHT WINDS, NOT GUSTY, AND FAVORING THE DIRECTION USED FOR TAKEOFF.  AIRMAN REPORTED HE'S TAKEN OFF AND LANDED ON THIS GRAVEL STRIP BETWEEN 50-100 TIMES PRIOR OVER 15 YEARS AND HAD DECIDED TO SPLIT THE CARGO LOAD INTO TWO TRIPS, THE 1ST OF WHICH WAS BEING FLOWN AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.  AIRMAN SAID TAKEOFF SEEMED NORMAL AND AT THE POINT WHERE IT WOULD USUALLY BECOME AIRBORNE, THE AIRCRAFT WAS STILL ON THE GROUND.  THE PILOT CONTINUED THE TAKEOFF AND LEFT THE GROUND AS HE STRUCK BRUSH AT THE END OF THE STRIP, WHICH CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO HIT THE GROUND, DAMAGING THE FUSELAGE FORWARD OF THE VERTICAL STABILIZER AND THE RIGHT WINGTIP.  AIRMAN SUSPECTS WIND CHANGED FROM HEADWIND TO TAILWIND OR AIRCRAFT ENCOUNTERED A DOWNDRAFT.  AIRMAN REPORTED THAT APPROXIMATELY 15 MINUTES AFTER THE ACCIDENT, THE WIND STARTED TO NOTICEABLY GUST.

## 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 ANC14CA047](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC14CA047), Jun 25, 2014: Piper PA 18 (N72842), Cantwell, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's encounter with a wind gust during takeoff from a short gravel bar, which resulted in the airplane settling after rotation and striking obstacles.

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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