- Date
- August 30, 2001, 18:00 local (Aug 31, 2001, 02:00 UTC)
- Place
- Fairbanks, AK
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N3416MPiper PA-12
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 20, 2002
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- FAA-AL-FAI FSDO 01
- FAA report
- 20010830024669A
- Case key
- 53152
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
A failure of the pilot to maintain directional control of the airplane during the takeoff run.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The private certificated pilot applied full engine power to begin the takeoff roll on runway 36 from a private airstrip. The airstrip has a gravel surface runway that is 4,700 feet long, and 75 feet wide. The pilot said the left main landing gear tire encountered a rut on the runway, and the airplane began to veer to the left. The airplane began to depart the runway surface off the left side of the airstrip, and the pilot said she aborted the takeoff. The airplane continued to the left and collided with a stack of cut wood logs. Both the main landing gear collapsed, and the airplane received damage to the propeller, fuselage, wings, and wing lift struts. The pilot indicated the wind was from 070 degrees at 8 knots.
Factual narrative
On August 30, 2001, about 1800 Alaska daylight time, a tundra tire-equipped Piper PA-12 airplane, N3416M, sustained substantial damage during takeoff from the Chena Marina Airstrip, located about 5 miles southwest of Fairbanks, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) local area personal flight when the accident occurred. The airplane was operated by the pilot. The private certificated pilot, and the sole passenger, were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed.
During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), on August 30, the pilot reported she applied full engine power to begin the takeoff roll on runway 36 at Chena Marina. The pilot said the left main landing gear tire encountered a rut on the runway, and the airplane began to veer to the left. The airplane began to depart the runway surface off the left side of the airstrip, and the pilot said she aborted the takeoff. The airplane continued to the left and collided with a stack of cut wood logs. Both the main landing gear collapsed, and the airplane received damage to the propeller, fuselage, wings, and wing lift struts. The pilot indicated the wind was from 070 degrees at 8 knots.
The Chena Marina Airstrip is a private airfield with a gravel surface runway that is 4,700 feet long, and 75 feet wide.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3416M
- Reported as
- Piper PA-12
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 12-2263
- Airframe hours
- 2,235
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235-C1, 115 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Mary J. Becker
- Registered owner
- James C. Becker
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 20, 2000 · 17 hours before
- Departed
- AK28 · Fairbanks, AK
- Airport
- AK28 · Chena Marina, runway 36, 4,700 × 75 ft, gravel
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 59
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- September 21, 1999
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 263 total · 15 in this make and model · 178 as pilot in command · 15 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 70° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 64 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.