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20180602006849A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Piper PA-18-150 · Wasilla, AK · June 2, 2018

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
June 2, 2018 · 10:25 local
Place
Wasilla, AK
Airport
Lawrence Airstrip
Phase of flight
Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N624MW
NTSB investigation
NTSBANC18LA040
Reported as
Piper PA-18-150
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
1
Pilot’s certificate
Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours
4,700 total4,700 in this make and model50 in the last 90 days

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.

The pilot stated that he initiated the flight for the purposes of a local fly in. The flight originated at 55AK. The pilot stated that he completed a preflight and upon inspection stated that the right wing had 1/2 tank and the left 1/4. The pilot put 5 gallons of av gas in the left wing to bring it to an even amount. The fuel came from a private source on the pilots personal property which the pilot stated was properly filtered.

The pilot started the aircraft and taxied for takeoff. Before takeoff the pilot completed a run-up check which as systems check out nominal. The pilot stated that at approx. 200 feet AGL after takeoff the engine began to "sputter". The pilot immidiatly turned back around to try and land back at 55AK but altitude was not sufficiant and the aircraft came in contact with the trees at the departure end of the Airstrip. The aircraft came to rest at the bottom of the trees on the ground.

The pilot sustained serious injuries but was able to liberate himself from the aircraft unassisted.

See ptrs 201803250 and triggered ptrs 201803306

As the FAA filed it

THE PILOT STATED THAT HE INITIATED THE FLIGHT FOR THE PURPOSES OF A LOCAL FLY IN. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT 55AK. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE COMPLETED A PREFLIGHT AND UPON INSPECTION STATED THAT THE RIGHT WING HAD 1/2 TANK AND THE LEFT 1/4. THE PILOT PUT 5 GALLONS OF AV GAS IN THE LEFT WING TO BRING IT TO AN EVEN AMOUNT. THE FUEL CAME FROM A PRIVATE SOURCE ON THE PILOTS PERSONAL PROPERTY WHICH THE PILOT STATED WAS PROPERLY FILTERED.

THE PILOT STARTED THE AIRCRAFT AND TAXIED FOR TAKEOFF. BEFORE TAKEOFF THE PILOT COMPLETED A RUN-UP CHECK WHICH AS SYSTEMS CHECK OUT NOMINAL. THE PILOT STATED THAT AT APPROX. 200 FEET AGL AFTER TAKEOFF THE ENGINE BEGAN TO "SPUTTER". THE PILOT IMMIDIATLY TURNED BACK AROUND TO TRY AND LAND BACK AT 55AK BUT ALTITUDE WAS NOT SUFFICIANT AND THE AIRCRAFT CAME IN CONTACT WITH THE TREES AT THE DEPARTURE END OF THE AIRSTRIP. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST AT THE BOTTOM OF THE TREES ON THE GROUND.

THE PILOT SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES BUT WAS ABLE TO LIBERATE HIMSELF FROM THE AIRCRAFT UNASSISTED.

SEE PTRS 201803250 AND TRIGGERED PTRS 201803306

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 ANC18LA040Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportWasilla, AKA total loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined based on the available information.Jun 2, 2018 · Substantial damage