- Date
- September 13, 2010, 15:00 local (23:00 UTC)
- Place
- Windy Forks Strip, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N2534MPiper PA-12
- Defining event
- Taxi: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 20, 2010
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- FAA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20100913054509A
- Case key
- 77604
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 while taxiing on a rough/uneven airstrip.
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 pilot reported he was taxiing on an unimproved airstrip during a Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight when the accident occurred. He stated the airplane's tailwheel became stuck in a rut, and when he added power to free it, the empennage spun around and impacted a solid object. During the impact the empennage sustained substantial damage. The pilot verified that there were no mechanical anomalies with the airplane prior to the accident.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported he was taxiing on an unimproved airstrip during a Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight when the accident occurred. He stated the airplane's tailwheel became stuck in a rut, and when he added power to free it, the empennage spun around and impacted a solid object. During the impact the empennage sustained substantial damage. The pilot verified that there were no mechanical anomalies with the airplane prior to the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2534M
- Reported as
- Piper PA-12
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 12-926
- Airframe hours
- 3,082
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235 SERIES, 115 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 26, 2008
- Departed
- None · Windy Forks Strip, AK
- Destination
- None · Windy Forks Strip, AK
- Flight plan
- Unknown
- Airport
- None · Windy Forks Strip
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 land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 3, 2009
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 613 total · 613 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 61 °F
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 24, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 458 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 N2534M · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.