- Date
- September 4, 2002, 18:00 local (Sep 5, 2002, 02:00 UTC)
- Place
- Nikolai, AK
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N2410PPiper PA-18
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 18, 2003
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- FAA-AL-ANC FSDO 03
- FAA report
- 20020904024559A
- Case key
- 55669
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
The pilot's selection of unsuitable terrain while taxiing for takeoff, which precipitated an on ground collision with a tree stump. Factors contributing to the accident were soft terrain and the presence of tree stumps.
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 commercial certificated pilot was taxiing the tundra tire-equipped airplane along the edge of a remote river in preparation for takeoff. The gravel area he was using had several tree stumps along the river bank. The pilot said that while taxiing, the right main landing gear tire entered a small, soft, depression. The right wing dipped downward and struck a tree stump, and received damage to the leading edge and the rear spar.
Factual narrative
On September 4, 2002, about 1800 Alaska daylight time, a tundra tire-equipped Piper PA-18 airplane, N2410P, sustained substantial damage when the right wing struck a tree stump while taxiing for takeoff from a remote, off-airport site, about 13 miles east-southeast of Nikolai, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a Title 14, CFR Part 91 visual flight rules (VFR) personal flight when the accident occurred. The airplane was operated by the pilot. The commercial 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 September 5, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) personnel reported the pilot had contacted an over-flying airplane via radio to report the airplane disabled.
On September 6, the pilot telephoned the NTSB IIC and reported that he was taxiing in preparation for takeoff along the edge of the south fork of the Kuskokwim River. The gravel area he was utilizing had several tree stumps along the river bank. The pilot said that while taxiing, the right main landing gear tire entered a small, soft, depression. The right wing dipped downward and struck a tree stump.
On September 10, the pilot reported that an examination of the right wing revealed damage to the leading edge and rear spar.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2410P
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-4277
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- John A. Oney
- Registered owner
- William Perry
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- Nikolai, AK
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
- 68
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine sea, Multi-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- May 2, 2002
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 10,000 total · 3,000 in this make and model · 10,000 as pilot in command · 250 in the last 90 days · 50 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 61 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.