20151016017959A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA-18-150 · Sulua Bay, AK · October 16, 2015

Date: October 16, 2015 · 13:00 local
Place: Sulua Bay, AK
Airport: Sulua Bay
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Departure Roll
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N4336Z
NTSB investigation: NTSBGAA16CA021
Reported as: Piper PA-18-150
Reported engine: Lycoming 0-320 series
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificates: Airline transport, commercial pilot, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours: 6,800 total350 in this make and model270 in the last 90 days

N4336ZRegistration cancelled Oct 11, 2016 · Piper PA-18-150S/N 18-8654 · Built 1968 Airframe modelPiper PA-18-150 Engine 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.

Pilot was attempting to land on a beach in Sulua Bay. To determine the condition of the beach, the pilot elected to "drag" the beach with his main tires. When adding power to take off, the right tire was dragging in the sand and rotated the aircraft to the right, hitting the wing tip. The pilot retarded the throttle and the aircraft came to rest.

As the FAA filed it

PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING TO LAND ON A BEACH IN SULUA BAY. TO DETERMINE THE CONDITION OF THE BEACH, THE PILOT ELECTED TO "DRAG" THE BEACH WITH HIS MAIN TIRES. WHEN ADDING POWER TO TAKE OFF, THE RIGHT TIRE WAS DRAGGING IN THE SAND AND ROTATED THE AIRCRAFT TO THE RIGHT, HITTING THE WING TIP. THE PILOT RETARDED THE THROTTLE AND THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST.

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 GAA16CA021Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportOld Harbor, AKThe pilot's selection of unsuitable terrain for landing, resulting in a collision with terrain.Oct 16, 2015 · Substantial damage