20161106023949A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA-18-150 · Anchorage, AK · November 6, 2016

Date: November 6, 2016 · 16:30 local
Place: Anchorage, AK
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Rotation
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N62744
NTSB investigation: NTSBGAA17CA057
Reported as: Piper PA-18-150
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 644 total319 in this make and model58 in the last 90 days

N62744Registered now · Piper PA-18-150S/N 18-7809109 · Built 1978 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.

At approximatelly 1630 hours the PIC started his takeoff roll, he said he felt a gust hit the tail and corrected for it with the rudder. Then as soon as the tires started to leave the ground there was a strong quartering tailwind gust that pushed the airplane 20-30 feet to the side and put it in line with a 2' diameter by 40' long cottonwood log laying on the tidal flats. He couldnt avoid the log so he tried to keep the tail up as he crossed over it to prevent any damage to the tail and maintain control. He bounced slightly off the log and then descended on the other side of it. There was a narrow deep channel of water on the other side of the log. He hit the bank of the channel with his front tires, collapsing the landing gear. He pulled the stick back and cut power to try and keep from flipping over. The left wingtip hit the ground hard and spun the airplane around.

As the FAA filed it

AT APPROXIMATELLY 1630 HOURS THE PIC STARTED HIS TAKEOFF ROLL, HE SAID HE FELT A GUST HIT THE TAIL AND CORRECTED FOR IT WITH THE RUDDER. THEN AS SOON AS THE TIRES STARTED TO LEAVE THE GROUND THERE WAS A STRONG QUARTERING TAILWIND GUST THAT PUSHED THE AIRPLANE 20-30 FEET TO THE SIDE AND PUT IT IN LINE WITH A 2' DIAMETER BY 40' LONG COTTONWOOD LOG LAYING ON THE TIDAL FLATS. HE COULDNT AVOID THE LOG SO HE TRIED TO KEEP THE TAIL UP AS HE CROSSED OVER IT TO PREVENT ANY DAMAGE TO THE TAIL AND MAINTAIN CONTROL. HE BOUNCED SLIGHTLY OFF THE LOG AND THEN DESCENDED ON THE OTHER SIDE OF IT. THERE WAS A NARROW DEEP CHANNEL OF WATER ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE LOG. HE HIT THE BANK OF THE CHANNEL WITH HIS FRONT TIRES, COLLAPSING THE LANDING GEAR. HE PULLED THE STICK BACK AND CUT POWER TO TRY AND KEEP FROM FLIPPING OVER. THE LEFT WINGTIP HIT THE GROUND HARD AND SPUN THE AIRPLANE AROUND.

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 GAA17CA057Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportMouth of The Big Susitna River, AKThe pilot’s decision to take off with a gusting quartering tailwind and his subsequent loss of airplane control.Nov 7, 2016 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N62744 · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Accident 19850314009619AUnauth Low Level Opns · Koyukuk, AKStalled while maneuvering at low altitude on aerial wolverine hunt. Impacted ground from 150 feet.Mar 14, 1985 · Substantial damage