- Date
- September 18, 2008, 08:00 local (16:00 UTC)
- Place
- Fairbanks, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N2265APiper PA-18
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Collision during takeoff/land
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 11, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20080918848859A
- Case key
- 69177
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 an unsuitable takeoff area. A Factor contributing to the accident was a short, rough and uneven takeoff site.
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 departing from a 500 foot-long, rough and uneven off-airport site. In the pilot's written statement to the NTSB he stated, in part: "During takeoff from the remote airstrip, [the] aircraft failed to reach flying speed." The pilot indicated that the airplane initially lifted off at the end of the strip, then it mushed into an area of brush-covered terrain at the end of the airstrip. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. The pilot noted that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane.
Factual narrative
The private pilot was departing from a 500 foot-long, rough and uneven off-airport site. In the pilot's written statement to the NTSB he stated, in part: "During takeoff from the remote airstrip, [the] aircraft failed to reach flying speed." The pilot indicated that the airplane initially lifted off at the end of the strip, then it mushed into an area of brush-covered terrain at the end of the airstrip. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. The pilot noted that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2265A
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-1888
- Airframe hours
- 8,601.8
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-A2B, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Martin T. Anzelini
- Registered owner
- Martin T. Anzelini
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 10, 2008 · 9.6 hours before
- Departed
- Fairbanks, AK
- Destination
- Fairbanks, 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
- 54
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 10, 2007
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 416 total · 415 in this make and model · 17 in the last 90 days · 15 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 10 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.
Other investigations on N2265A · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.