- Date
- December 20, 2008, 15:15 local (19:15 UTC)
- Place
- Willow, AK
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N4131ZPiper PA-18-150
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of engine power (partial)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 15, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- FAA Anchorage
- FAA report
- 20081220857449A
- Case key
- 73128
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
A partial loss of engine power during takeoff, which prevented the airplane from reaching takeoff airspeed, resulting in an aborted takeoff, and an on-ground collision with a tree.
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 airline transport pilot was taking off from a snow-covered private airstrip in a tailwheel and ski-equipped airplane for a personal cross-country flight under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. In a written statement dated January 5, 2009, the pilot reported that during the takeoff roll the airplane's engine appeared to hesitate and possibly lose power. He said that he aborted the takeoff, but due to rough terrain he was unable to get the tail of the airplane back on the ground quickly to slow the airplane. When the airplane's tail did come down, the fuselage struck a low tree, resulting in substantial damage to the tail section.
Factual narrative
The airline transport pilot was taking off from a snow-covered private airstrip in a tailwheel and ski-equipped airplane for a personal cross-country flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91. In a written statement dated January 5, 2009, the pilot reported that during the takeoff roll the airplane's engine appeared to hesitate, and possibly lose power. He said he aborted the takeoff, but due to rough terrain he was unable to get the tail of the airplane back on the ground quickly to slow the airplane. When the airplane's tail did come down, the fuselage struck a low tree, resulting in substantial damage to the tail section. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge on December 21, 2008, the pilot did not mention any engine issue.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4131Z
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18-150
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-8201
- Airframe hours
- 4,489
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320 SERIES, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Macarthur Clinton W
- Registered owner
- Macarthur Clinton W
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 10, 2008
- Departed
- Willow, AK
- Destination
- LHD · Anchorage, 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
- 42
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- September 22, 2008
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 10,128 total · 321 in this make and model · 7,582 as pilot in command · 68 in the last 90 days · 24 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 19 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.87 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.