- Date
- September 21, 2012, 09:30 local (17:30 UTC)
- Place
- Port Alsworth, AK
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N3802ZPiper PA-18-150
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 19, 2012
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- FAA FSDO-03
- FAA report
- 20120921020129A
- Case key
- 85112
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 loss of directional control during takeoff in gusting wind conditions from an off-airport site, which resulted in a collision with terrain and a nose over.
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 was departing from a mountain ridgeline in gusting wind conditions. He said that he started the takeoff in what he estimated was a 5- to 10-knot headwind. At liftoff, a gust of wind raised the right wing, and the left wing struck the ground, which pivoted the airplane to the left. The airplane then continued over the ridgeline, traveled downhill, nosed over, and came to rest inverted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and the fuselage. There were no reported preaccident mechanical problems with the airplane that would have precluded normal operations.
Factual narrative
The pilot was departing from a mountain ridgeline, in gusting wind conditions. He said he started the takeoff in what he estimated was a 5-10 knot headwind. At liftoff, a gust of wind raised the right wing and the left wing struck the ground, which pivoted the airplane to the left. The airplane then continued over the ridgeline, downhill, nosing over, and coming to rest inverted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and the fuselage. There were no reported mechanical problems with the airplane prior to the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3802Z
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18-150
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-7535
- Airframe hours
- 5,373
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320 SERIES, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Alsworth Anthony R
- Registered owner
- Alsworth Anthony R
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 29, 2011
- Departed
- Port Alsworth, AK
- Destination
- PALJ · Port Alsworth, AK
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
- 35
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- September 2, 2010
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 383 total · 83 in this make and model · 358 as pilot in command · 1 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 90° at 10 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility
- 25 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 10,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 46 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.73 inHg
- Observed at
- PALJ, 5 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 27, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 746 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 N3802Z · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.