- Date
- April 28, 2010, 16:22 local (Apr 29, 2010, 00:22 UTC)
- Place
- Fairbanks, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N7227DPiper PA-22-150
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 12, 2010
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- FAA FSDO-01
- FAA report
- 20100428032539A
- Case key
- 75890
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 directional control during takeoff.
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 solo private pilot was taking off on a personal local flight. The pilot said that during the takeoff roll it felt like a gust was pushing him toward the left side of the runway. He corrected with right rudder, but was unable to correct for the right turn. The airplane then ground-looped to the right, striking the left wing on the ground. The pilot reported no mechanical problems with the airplane prior to the accident. The left wing was structurally damaged during the ground-loop.
Factual narrative
The solo private pilot was taking off on a personal local flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91. The pilot said during the takeoff roll it felt like a gust was pushing him toward the left side of the runway. He said he corrected with right rudder, but was unable to correct for the right turn. He said the airplane ground-looped to the right, striking the left wing on the ground. He said there were no mechanical problems with the airplane prior to the accident, and that the left wing was structurally damaged during the ground-loop.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7227D
- Reported as
- Piper PA-22-150
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 22-5052
- Airframe hours
- 3,817
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320 SERIES, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Jed Williams
- Registered owner
- Greeley Dale A
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 9, 2009
- Departed
- PAFA · Fairbanks, AK
- Destination
- PAFA · Fairbanks, AK
- Airport
- FAI · Fairbanks International, runway 20L, 6,500 × 100 ft, asphalt
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
- 53
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- February 24, 2009
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 166 total · 33 in this make and model · 88 as pilot in command · 27 in the last 90 days · 16 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 10° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 10,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 32 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.47 inHg
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 7, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 586 KB 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 N7227D · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.