- Date
- September 13, 2011, 10:45 local (18:45 UTC)
- Place
- Ambler, AK
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N9019CCessna 180
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Runway excursion
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 6, 2012
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- FAA FSDO-01
- FAA report
- 20110913026939A
- Case key
- 81799
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 takeoff with a tailwind, which resulted in a runway excursion.
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 elected to take off from an off-airport site in variable wind conditions. During the takeoff roll, the airplane encountered a tailwind, resulting in an extended takeoff roll. The airplane encountered a creek and nosed over, sustaining substantial damage to the fuselage and vertical stabilizer.
Factual narrative
The pilot elected to takeoff from an off airport site in variable wind conditions. During the takeoff roll the airplane encountered a tailwind, resulting in an extended takeoff roll, and inability to out climb the terrain. The airplane encountered a creek and nosed over, sustaining substantial damage to the fuselage and vertical stabilizer.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9019C
- Reported as
- Cessna 180
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 31067
- Airframe hours
- 4,850
- Engine
- Cont Motor O-470 SERIES, 230 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Hanks Don N
- Registered owner
- Hanks Don N
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 19, 2011
- Departed
- Ambler, AK
- Destination
- PABT · Bettles Field, AK
- Flight plan
- Unknown
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
- 41
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 9, 2011
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 2,650 total · 410 in this make and model · 2,607 as pilot in command · 92 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 48 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.60 inHg
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 16, 2011, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 625 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.