# NTSB ANC04CA105: Piper PA-18, N7472D, Healy, AK, September 6, 2004 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: September 6, 2004, 14:00 local (22:00 UTC) - Place: Healy, AK - Coordinates: 63.844444, -148.287506 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=63.8444&lon=-148.2875&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report December 3, 2004 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - Parties: FAA-AL-ANC FSDO 03 - NTSB case key (mKey): 60064 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC04CA105 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/60064/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC04CA105 ## Probable cause The pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions, and failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during the takeoff roll, which resulted in a collision with vegetation and a nose over. A factor contributing to the accident was a tailwind. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - on ground/water, takeoff - roll/run - weather condition - tailwind (contributing factor) - compensation for wind conditions - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - directional control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, takeoff - roll/run - terrain condition - high vegetation - Nose over, takeoff - roll/run ## Analysis The airline transport certificated pilot was departing from a tundra/gravel covered area along a creek. He described the takeoff area as 20 feet wide, by 300 feet long, with a dogleg turn to the left, and an additional takeoff area of 600 feet. The entire takeoff area slopes downhill. The pilot said he was departing toward the north, with a 6 to 10 knot tailwind. He said about 100 feet past the dogleg turn to the left, the tailwind pushed the tail of the airplane to the right. The nose of the airplane veered to the left, collided with willow bushes, and nosed over. The airplane received damage to the right wing lift struts, the rudder, and the right elevator. ## Factual narrative On September 6, 2004, about 1400 Alaska daylight time, a tundra tire-equipped Piper PA-18 airplane, N7472D, sustained substantial damage when it collided with willow trees and nosed over during the takeoff run from a remote area about 18 miles east-northeast of Healy, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) cross-country personal flight from the area of Healy Creek, under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The airplane was operated by the pilot. The airline transport certificated pilot and the sole passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a VFR flight plan was filed for the flight from Healy Creek, to Healy, Alaska. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), on September 7, the pilot reported that he was departing from a tundra/gravel covered area along Healy Creek. He described the takeoff area as 20 feet wide, by 300 feet long, with a dogleg turn to the left, and an additional takeoff area of 600 feet. The entire takeoff area slopes downhill. The pilot said he was departing toward the north, with a 6 to 10 knot tailwind. He said about 100 feet past the dogleg turn to the left, the tailwind pushed the tail of his airplane to the right. The nose of the airplane veered to the left, collided with willow bushes, and nosed over. The airplane received damage to the right wing lift struts, the rudder, and the right elevator. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N7472D](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N7472D), registered now, S/N 18-5807 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA-18 - Registry model: [Piper PA-18](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-18) (registry code 7101802) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental C90 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-c90-series) (registry code 17009, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 18-5807 - Engines: Lycoming O-360-A4D reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Larry D. Nauta - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: Healy, AK - Destination: Healy, AK - Flight plan: VFR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 56; injuries: none; airline transport, commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine sea, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2; flight hours: 5,000 total, 1,000 in this make and model, 100 in the last 90 days, 35 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 180° at 10 knots - Visibility: 30 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 45 °F ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20040906021109A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040906021109A), Sep 6, 2004: Piper PA18, Healy, AK, Minor damage. (-23) PIC stated that during downwind/downslope takeoff from gravel-bar he lost control and aircraft tipped forward onto its back damaging the rudder and… ## Other investigations on N7472D (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB ANC66F0078](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC66F0078), Nov 11, 1965: Piper PA-18 (N7472D), Wasilla, AK, destroyed From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.