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20210809013619A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Piper PA-18 · Stephan Lake, AK · August 9, 2021

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

© OpenStreetMap
Date
August 9, 2021 · 20:30 local
Place
Stephan Lake, AK
Phase of flight
Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N1264A
NTSB investigation
NTSBANC21LA075
Reported as
Piper PA-18
Reported engine
Lycoming 0-320 series
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
2
Pilot’s certificate
Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours
1,500 total750 in this make and model20 in the last 90 days
N1264ARegistered now · Piper PA-18S/N 18-1060 · Built 1951Airframe modelPiper PA-18Engine 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.

Aircraft took off to the south from stephens lake, AK61, dirt strip. Strong crosswind. On climb out pilot stated that the flight controls jammed in a slight down and right position. Pilot could not move the flight controls ( center stick) passenger tried and could not move the controls. Plane descended and contacted trees around the runway and crashed. Aircraft was moved to wolf lake for inspection and for insurance purposes. 8/18 FAA and NTSB inspected the aircraft. Flight control continuity was checked and found ok. Inspection in and around flight controls in the cabin were found free and clear. Removed floor under flight controls and inspected area and found nothing that would have jammed the controls and found no evidence of jamming. The aircraft did have a newly installed gust lock. This gust lock mounted under the dash and hooked around the flight control stick. It was noted that this gust lock had a lot of play in it. When attached to the flight control it allowed approximately 2 to 3 inches of travel in all directions.

Counseling conducted AL03202200238

As the FAA filed it

AIRCRAFT TOOK OFF TO THE SOUTH FROM STEPHENS LAKE, AK61, DIRT STRIP. STRONG CROSSWIND. ON CLIMB OUT PILOT STATED THAT THE FLIGHT CONTROLS JAMMED IN A SLIGHT DOWN AND RIGHT POSITION. PILOT COULD NOT MOVE THE FLIGHT CONTROLS ( CENTER STICK) PASSENGER TRIED AND COULD NOT MOVE THE CONTROLS. PLANE DESCENDED AND CONTACTED TREES AROUND THE RUNWAY AND CRASHED. AIRCRAFT WAS MOVED TO WOLF LAKE FOR INSPECTION AND FOR INSURANCE PURPOSES. 8/18 FAA AND NTSB INSPECTED THE AIRCRAFT. FLIGHT CONTROL CONTINUITY WAS CHECKED AND FOUND OK. INSPECTION IN AND AROUND FLIGHT CONTROLS IN THE CABIN WERE FOUND FREE AND CLEAR. REMOVED FLOOR UNDER FLIGHT CONTROLS AND INSPECTED AREA AND FOUND NOTHING THAT WOULD HAVE JAMMED THE CONTROLS AND FOUND NO EVIDENCE OF JAMMING. THE AIRCRAFT DID HAVE A NEWLY INSTALLED GUST LOCK. THIS GUST LOCK MOUNTED UNDER THE DASH AND HOOKED AROUND THE FLIGHT CONTROL STICK. IT WAS NOTED THAT THIS GUST LOCK HAD A LOT OF PLAY IN IT. WHEN ATTACHED TO THE FLIGHT CONTROL IT ALLOWED APPROXIMATELY 2 TO 3 INCHES OF TRAVEL IN ALL DIRECTIONS.

COUNSELING CONDUCTED AL03202200238

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 ANC21LA075Accident · Minor injuriesClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportTalkeetna, AKThe malfunction of the control stick during initial climb for reasons that could not be determined based on available evidence.Aug 10, 2021 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N1264A · 2

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

Incident 19940312023189IRoll-Out (Fixed Wing) · Willow, AKNarrative: the pilot landed on the frozen and snow covered yentna river to meet a friend who had previously flown to the incident site. During the landing rollout, the left gear/ski struck, at a 45 degree angle, a track made by a snow cat and sled. The left…Mar 12, 1994 · Minor damageIncident 19800427045149ILevel Off Touchdown · Pendleton, ORPilot landed on soft terrain, went over on his back.Apr 27, 1980 · Minor damage