# Incident 20171020020119I: Piper PA-20, Blackfoot, ID, October 20, 2017

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 20, 2017, 15:30 local time
- Place: Blackfoot, ID
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Departure Roll
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 43.1934° N, 112.3465° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Blackfoot, ID, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.1934&lon=-112.3465&mi=10
- Aircraft: N7483K, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N7483K) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-20 (registry code 7102002, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-20) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-20
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor, private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 673 total, 30 in this make and model, 134 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20171020020119I

## Narrative

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

WHILE ON A FLIGHT FROM GREAT FALLS, MONTANA TO TWIN FALLS, IDAHO THE PILOT ENCOUNTERED STRONG WINDS (30-40 KTS) AND DECIDED TO MAKE A FUEL STOP IN IDAHO FALLS, IDAHO.  AS HE NEARED THE AIRPORT HE DECIDED THE WINDS ON THE SURFACE WERE TOO STRONG TO ATTEMPT A LANDING SO HE DIVERTED TO BLACKFOOT, IDAHO AIRPORT (U02).  WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH INTO BLACKFOOT AIRPORT HE ENCOUNTERED SEVERE TURBULENCE WHICH CAUSED THE REMAINING FUEL IN THE FUEL TANKS TO BECOME UNPORTED AND THEN THE ENGINE STARTED TO SPUTTER.  HE DETERMINED HE WASN?T GOING TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THE RUNWAY SO HE DECIDED TO MAKE A 90 TURN TO THE LEFT AND LAND IN A FARMER?S FIELD WHICH HE DID UNEVENTFULLY.  AFTER LANDING, THE ENGINE RAN NORMALLY SO HE DECIDED THE SPUTTERING ENGINE WAS CAUSED FROM THE UNPORTING OF THE FUEL IN THE FUEL TANKS DUE TO THE TURBULENCE.

AFTER REFUELING THE PLANE, HE DECIDED TO TAKE-OFF FROM THE FARMER?S FIELD AND HEAD TO TWIN FALLS, IDAHO WHICH WAS REPORTING ONLY 13 KTS WINDS.  THE PILOT ESTIMATED THE WIND ON THE SURFACE OF THE FARMER?S FIELD WAS APPROXIMATELY 25-30 MPH AT THE TIME OF TAKE-OFF.  HE SAID HE LINED THE AIRCRAFT INTO THE WIND FOR A HEADWIND TAKE-OFF AND AS HE GOT ABOUT 300 FEET INTO THE TAKE-OFF ROLL AND WITH ABOUT 30 KTS OF AIRSPEED, A STRONG CROSSWIND LIFTED UP THE RIGHT WING CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO VEER TO THE LEFT.  WHILE STILL ON TAKE-OFF ROLL THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO COUNTERACT THE LEFT TURN AND ENDED UP HITTING THE RIGHT WINGTIP ON THE GROUND FOLLOWED BY THE PROP HITTING THE GROUND.  AFTER TALKING WITH THE PILOT HE BELIEVES NOW THAT HE TOOK OFF WITH AT LEAST A 20 DEGREE CROSSWIND.

## Other reports on N7483K (2)

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

- [Accident 19950415008099A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19950415008099A), Apr 15, 1995: Piper PA20 (N7483K), Koliganek, AK, Substantial damage. Wind lifted wing on crosswind landing. Dragged other wing. Nosed over. Wind exceeded PA20 crosswind component.
- [Incident 19790222006689I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19790222006689I), Feb 22, 1979: Piper PA20 (N7483K), Anchorage, AK, Minor damage. Engine lost power during manuevers. Valve adjusting lock nut backed off.

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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