- Date
- November 14, 2009, 14:00 local (18:00 UTC)
- Place
- Anchorage, AK
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N3797ZPiper PA-18-150
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 23, 2010
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration (Airworthiness)
- FAA report
- 20091114051429A
- Case key
- 75060
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 decision to land and attempt to takeoff from an unsuitable off-airport 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 taking off in a tundra tire-equipped airplane from a snow-covered off-airport site, on a Title 14, CFR Part 91 personal flight. He reported that during the takeoff roll the main wheels struck a snowdrift, and the airplane nosed over, resulting in substantial damage to the wings and wing lift struts. The pilot said there were no preaccident mechanical problems with the airplane, and noted in his report to the NTSB that he should not have landed at the off-airport site with a wheel-equipped airplane. The pilot reported that after the accident he manually activated the airplane’s 406 MHz Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT), and within 20 minutes of doing so, he received a cell phone call from the airplane’s owner inquiring about the accident.
Factual narrative
The private pilot was taking off in a tundra tire-equipped airplane from a snow-covered off-airport site, on a Title 14, CFR Part 91 personal flight. He reported that during the takeoff roll the main wheels struck a snowdrift, and the airplane nosed over, resulting in substantial damage to the wings and wing lift struts. The pilot said there were no preaccident mechanical problems with the airplane, and noted in his report to the NTSB that he should not have landed at the off-airport site with a wheel-equipped airplane. The pilot reported that after the accident he manually activated the airplane’s 406 MHz Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT), and within 20 minutes of doing so, he received a cell phone call from the airplane’s owner inquiring about the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3797Z
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18-150
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-7492
- Airframe hours
- 5,668
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A2A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- John C. Buller
- Registered owner
- Scott L. Merriner
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 19, 2009 · 14 hours before
- Departed
- Anchorage, AK
- Destination
- PALH · 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
- 37
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- November 10, 2009
- Flight hours
- 272 total · 144 in this make and model · 238 as pilot in command · 10 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 60° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 18,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 18 °F, dew point -0 °F
- Altimeter
- 28.70 inHg
- Observed at
- PALH
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 13, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.1 MB in all.
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 N3797Z · 3
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.