- Date
- September 7, 2008, 20:00 local (Sep 8, 2008, 04:00 UTC)
- Place
- Coldfoot, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N9950QPiper PA-18-135
- Defining event
- Initial climb: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 11, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20080908850779A
- Case key
- 69167
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 attain/maintain sufficient flying speed during initial climb.
Findings · 2
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 on a personal, local flight, under Title 14, CFR Part 91. He said that the site was slightly uphill, and that after becoming airborne, he attempted to increase airspeed by "dropping flaps, and lowering the nose." He said that due to rising terrain, he turned the airplane downwind, and the airplane "sank." The airplane touched down on the tundra, and nosed over. He said there were no mechanical problems with the airplane prior to the accident.
Factual narrative
The private pilot was taking off from an off-airport site on a personal, local flight, under Title 14, CFR Part 91. He said that the site was slightly uphill, and that after becoming airborne, he attempted to increase airspeed by "dropping flaps, and lowering the nose." He said that due to rising terrain, he turned the airplane downwind, and the airplane "sank." The airplane touched down on the tundra, and nosed over. He said there were no mechanical problems with the airplane prior to the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9950Q
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18-135
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-3563
- Airframe hours
- 5,530
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320 SERIES, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Bridges David A
- Registered owner
- Bridges David A
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 13, 2008
- Departed
- Coldfoot, AK
- Destination
- FAI · Fairbanks, AK
- Flight plan
- Unknown
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
- 58
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 15, 2008
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 5,000 total · 4,000 in this make and model · 50 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 25 knots, gusting 30
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 39 °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 N9950Q · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.