- Date
- May 9, 2012, 18:15 local (May 10, 2012, 02:15 UTC)
- Place
- Gakona, AK
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N999JVPiper PA-18-150
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 26, 2012
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration – Operations
- FAA report
- 20120509008829A
- Case key
- 83607
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 take off in variable wind conditions, which resulted in a loss of control and the airplane striking an object after takeoff.
Findings · 4
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 departed from a remote, 800-foot-long, gravel-covered airstrip in variable wind conditions. He said that during the takeoff roll, just before liftoff, a gust of wind pushed the airplane to the right. As the airplane became airborne, the pilot felt a "bump," but he noted no control or vibration problems. After an uneventful landing at his destination airport, an examination revealed substantial damage to the lower portion of the airplane's rudder. Further examination revealed that the tailwheel likely hit something during takeoff. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane.
Factual narrative
The pilot was departing from a remote, 800-foot long gravel-covered airstrip, in variable wind conditions. He said that during his southerly takeoff roll, just before liftoff, a gust of wind pushed the airplane to the right. As the airplane became airborne, he felt a "bump" but he noted no control or vibration problems. After an uneventful landing at his destination airport, an inspection revealed substantial damage to the lower portion of the airplane's rudder. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N999JV
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18-150
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1809005
- Airframe hours
- 534
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320 SERIES, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- James W. Watson
- Registered owner
- James W. Watson
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 30, 2011
- Departed
- Gakona, AK
- Destination
- PAFA · Fairbanks, AK
- Flight plan
- VFR
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
- 58
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter, Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 12,000 total · 300 in this make and model · 10,000 as pilot in command · 12 in the last 90 days · 9 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 15 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 39 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.48 inHg
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 27, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 5.5 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.