20230922014809A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA-12 · Eatonville, WA · September 22, 2023

Date: September 22, 2023 · 14:00 local
Place: Eatonville, WA
Airport: Swanson
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N7955H
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR23LA356
Reported as: Piper PA-12
Reported engine: Lycoming 0-235 series
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 256 total23 in this make and model4 in the last 90 days

N7955HRegistered now · Piper PA-12S/N 12-858 · Built 1946 Airframe modelPiper PA-12 Engine modelLycoming 0-235 series4 cycle

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 taking off to the north on runway 34. As the pilot lifted of the runway, he was hit by a gust of wind that picked up the left wing which caused the right wing and propeller to hit the ground causing a high-speed ground loop. The pilot pulled the throttle back, but the momentum carried the aircraft off the runway and onto a vacant lot adjacent to the runway and hit a berm that collapsed the right gear.

As the FAA filed it

PILOT WAS TAKING OFF TO THE NORTH ON RUNWAY 34. AS THE PILOT LIFTED OF THE RUNWAY, HE WAS HIT BY A GUST OF WIND THAT PICKED UP THE LEFT WING WHICH CAUSED THE RIGHT WING AND PROPELLER TO HIT THE GROUND CAUSING A HIGH-SPEED GROUND LOOP. THE PILOT PULLED THE THROTTLE BACK, BUT THE MOMENTUM CARRIED THE AIRCRAFT OFF THE RUNWAY AND ONTO A VACANT LOT ADJACENT TO THE RUNWAY AND HIT A BERM THAT COLLAPSED THE RIGHT GEAR.

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 WPR23LA356Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportEatonville, WAThe pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the takeoff roll, in gusty wind conditions, which resulted in a runway excursion.Sep 22, 2023 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N7955H · 1

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

Incident 19810704037949IRoll-Out (Fixed Wing) · Denton, NCLanded long on downhill runway. Ran off departure end. .Jul 4, 1981 · Minor damage