- Date
- August 31, 2012, 13:00 local (21:00 UTC)
- Place
- Healy, AK
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N1620APiper PA-18
- Defining event
- Takeoff-rejected takeoff: Runway excursion
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 19, 2012
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- FAA FSDO-01
- FAA report
- 20120831020669A
- Case key
- 85091
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 selection of unsuitable terrain for takeoff, resulting in an aborted takeoff and collision with terrain.
Findings · 2
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 was departing uphill from a remote off-airport site. The rough and gravel-covered site was about 600 feet long, with soft vegetation, and 25- to 30-foot-tall trees about 150 feet beyond the departure end. The wind was variable with moderate gusts. When the pilot realized that he did not have enough airspeed or remaining runway to clear the trees at the departure end of the site, he aborted the takeoff. The airplane subsequently overran the southeast end of the site, into an area of tree-covered, rough and uneven terrain, sustaining substantial damage to the fuselage, wings, and empennage. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical anomalies with the airplane prior to the accident that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot was departing, uphill, from a remote off-airport site. The rough and gravel-covered site was about 600 feet long, with soft vegetation, and 25-30 foot tall trees approximately 150 feet beyond the departure end. The wind was variable with moderate gusts. When the pilot realized that he did not have enough airspeed or remaining runway to clear the obstacles at the departure end of the site, he aborted the takeoff. The airplane subsequently overran the southeast end of the site, into an area of tree-covered, rough and uneven terrain, sustaining substantial damage to the fuselage, wings, and empennage. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical problems with the airplane prior to the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1620A
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-1263
- Airframe hours
- 3,022
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320 SERIES, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Beaver David W
- Registered owner
- Beaver David W
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 17, 2012
- Departed
- PACL · Clear, AK
- Destination
- Healy, 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
- 49
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- November 12, 2010
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 198 total · 129 in this make and model · 174 as pilot in command · 24 in the last 90 days · 8 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 5 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility
- 30 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 4,000 ft overcast
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 27, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.7 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.