- Date
- October 20, 2012, 14:30 local (22:30 UTC)
- Place
- Cordova, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N3360PPiper PA-18-125
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of visual reference
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 19, 2012
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- FAA Anchorage FSDO
- FAA report
- 20121020023449A
- Case key
- 85443
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 clearance from terrain during takeoff.
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 from a tidal beach in a tailwheel-equipped airplane. During the takeoff roll, the pilot stated that he lost visual reference through the windscreen because the sun was in his eyes and that he allowed the right wingtip to contact some alder brush, which forced the airplane to ground loop. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and the left horizontal stabilizer. The pilot indicated that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot was departing from a tidal beach in a tailwheel-equipped airplane. During the takeoff roll, the pilot stated that he lost visual reference through the windscreen because the sun was in his eyes, and he allowed the right wingtip to contact some alder brush, which forced the airplane to ground loop. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings, and the left horizontal stabilizer. The pilot indicated that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3360P
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18-125
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-391
- Airframe hours
- 7,360
- Engine
- Lycoming O-290 SERIES, 140 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 6, 2012
- Departed
- Cordova, AK
- Destination
- AK19 · Talkeetna, 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
- 79
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- August 11, 2011
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 5,608 total · 442 in this make and model · 20 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 41 °F, dew point 16 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.06 inHg
- Observed at
- PACV, 27 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 2, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 624 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.