20250916014419A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA-18-150 · Delta, AK · September 16, 2025

Date: September 16, 2025 · 16:30 local
Place: Delta, AK
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Departure Roll
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N7777D
NTSB investigation: NTSBANC25LA108
Reported as: Piper PA-18-150
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 661 total474 in this make and model17 in the last 90 days

N7777DRegistered now · Piper PA-18-150S/N 18-5962 · Built 1954 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.

Pilot started the take off roll at a remote gravel bar. Approximately 115 feet into roll, the tailwheel came off the ground just as the left wing contacted a small spruce tree, approximately one foot inboard of the wing tip. The airplane then spun and ground looped to the left, causing substantial damage to the fuselage, between the wings and empennage.

As the FAA filed it

PILOT STARTED THE TAKE OFF ROLL AT A REMOTE GRAVEL BAR. APPROXIMATELY 115 FEET INTO ROLL, THE TAILWHEEL CAME OFF THE GROUND JUST AS THE LEFT WING CONTACTED A SMALL SPRUCE TREE, APPROXIMATELY ONE FOOT INBOARD OF THE WING TIP. THE AIRPLANE THEN SPUN AND GROUND LOOPED TO THE LEFT, CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE FUSELAGE, BETWEEN THE WINGS AND EMPENNAGE.

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 ANC25LA108Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportDelta Junction, AKThe pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from an object during takeoff, which resulted in a collision and ground loop. Contributing was the pilot’s selection of an unsuitable takeoff area.Sep 17, 2025 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N7777D · 2

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

Accident 20000808010879AAK(-23)[privacy data omitted] :pilot attempted a takeoff from his private 600 ft strip into the wind uphill slope, could not climb the terrain, aborted the takeoff and landed in the tundra. The a/c flipped up and over, both occupants were wearing shoulder and…Aug 8, 2000 · No damage Accident 19800806063549AFinal Approach · Kodiak, AKSeaplane rolled into steep bank on landing approach. Wing and float hit water. Gusty winds in area.Aug 6, 1980 · Substantial damage