- Date
- August 14, 2008, 10:00 local (18:00 UTC)
- Place
- Palmer, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N3573ZPiper PA-18-150
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Miscellaneous/other
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 11, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20080814845259A
- Case key
- 69363
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 failure to maintain clearance from a tarp used as a marker at the departure end of the takeoff area.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The private pilot was taking off from an off-airport site, ferrying supplies from a hunting camp under Title 14, CFR Part 91. He reported that the takeoff was unremarkable until he started the initial climb. He said the airplane would not accelerate or climb, and descended into willows off the end of the runway. The pilot said that when he examined the airplane after the accident, he found a blue tarp behind the wreckage. He said the tarp had been placed on low brush to mark the departure end of the takeoff area, and he believed that the tarp must have snagged on the tailwheel during takeoff, and kept the airplane from climbing.
Factual narrative
The private pilot was taking off from an off-airport site, ferrying supplies from a hunting camp under Title 14, CFR Part 91. He reported that the takeoff was unremarkable until he started the initial climb. He said the airplane would not accelerate or climb, and descended into willows off the end of the runway. The pilot said that when he examined the airplane after the accident, he found a blue tarp behind the wreckage. He said the tarp had been placed on low brush to mark the departure end of the takeoff area, and he believed that the tarp must have snagged on the tailwheel during takeoff, and kept the airplane from climbing.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3573Z
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18-150
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-7359
- Airframe hours
- 4,358
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320 SERIES, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Graves Michael T
- Registered owner
- Graves Michael T
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 18, 2008
- Departed
- Palmer, AK
- Destination
- Eureka, 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
- 50
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- August 10, 2007
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 557 total · 545 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 5 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 5,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 46 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N3573Z · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.