# NTSB ANC05CA139: Piper PA-18, N1907A, Fairbanks, AK, September 6, 2005 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: September 6, 2005, 12:00 local (20:00 UTC) - Place: Fairbanks, AK - Coordinates: 64.113334, -147.604995 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=64.1133&lon=-147.6050&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report December 20, 2005 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 62444 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC05CA139 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/62444/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC05CA139 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed during takeoff initial climb, which resulted in an inadvertent stall/mush, and subsequent in-flight collision with trees. 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 - in flight, takeoff - initial climb - airspeed(vs) - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - weather condition - tailwind (contributing factor) - stall/mush - inadvertent, pilot in command - In flight collision with object, takeoff - initial climb - object - tree(s) ## Analysis The private certificated pilot was departing to the north, and downhill, from a one-way landing area, about 2,000 feet msl. The area, oriented north/south, was about 400 feet long, and about 15 feet wide. The pilot indicated that he began the takeoff roll with one notch of flaps selected. The airplane lifted off and climbed to about 40 feet agl. He reported that due to what he believed to be a tailwind, the tail of the airplane felt as if it was pushed downward, raising the nose of the airplane. He lowered the nose to prevent a stall, and began raising the flaps. The airplane collided with spruce trees about 200 yards from the takeoff area, and received damage to the landing gear, stabilizer, both wings and wing lift struts. ## Factual narrative On September 6, 2005, about 1200 Alaska daylight time, a tundra tire-equipped Piper PA-18 airplane, N1907A, sustained substantial damage when it collided with trees during takeoff initial climb from a remote area, about 45 miles south-southeast of Fairbanks, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) local area personal flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, 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. No flight plan was filed, nor was one required. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), on September 6, the pilot's mechanic reported that the airplane had crashed, and the pilot was remaining in the field until the airplane was recovered. On September 13, the pilot telephoned the NTSB IIC, and reported that he was departing to the north, and downhill, from a one-way landing area, about 2,000 feet msl. The area, oriented north/south, was about 400 feet long, and about 15 feet wide. He said that after the engine run-up, he began the takeoff roll with one notch of flaps selected. The airplane lifted off and climbed to about 40 feet agl, with the engine rpm indicating about 2,700. The pilot reported that due to what he believed to be a tailwind, the tail of the airplane felt as if it was pushed downward, raising the nose of the airplane. He lowered the nose to prevent a stall, and began raising the flaps. The airplane collided with spruce trees about 200 yards from the takeoff area, and received damage to the landing gear, stabilizer, both wings and wing lift struts. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N1907A](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N1907A), registered now, S/N 18-1741, built 1952 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA-18 - Registry model: [Piper PA-18AS-125](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-18as-125) (registry code 7101816) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-290 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-290-series) (registry code 41506, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 18-1741 - Engines: Lycoming O-320-A2B reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: James Knopke - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: Fairbanks, AK ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 49; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3; flight hours: 216 total, 212 in this make and model, 30 in the last 90 days, 25 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day ## 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 20050906022439A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20050906022439A), Sep 6, 2005: Piper PA18AS125, Fairbanks, AK, Substantial damage. (-23) The pilot [privacy data omitted] was operating N1907A, a PA-18A-125, in the japan hills area on an unimproved airstrip, he estimated 400 ft long and it… ## Other investigations on N1907A (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 ERA23LA179](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA23LA179), Mar 22, 2023: Piper PA-18AS-125 (N1907A), Lakeland, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to ensure that the landing gear was properly configured for a water landing. 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.