- Date
- September 30, 2013, 08:00 local (16:00 UTC)
- Place
- Wasilla, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Prior to flight
- Aircraft
- N40579Piper PA 18-150
- Defining event
- Prior to flight: Structural icing
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 1, 2014
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- FAA Anchorage FSDO
- FAA report
- 20130930021099A
- Case key
- 88169
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 improper preflight inspection, and failure to remove heavy frost from the airplane prior to attempting a 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 was attempting to takeoff from a public street, but the airplane would not climb, and struck a light pole, sustaining substantial damage to both wings and the fuselage. The pilot stated that he failed to remove heavy frost from the airplane prior to the takeoff attempt. He also stated that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot was attempting to takeoff from a public street, but the airplane would not climb, and struck a light pole, sustaining substantial damage to both wings and the fuselage. The pilot stated that he failed to remove heavy frost from the airplane prior to the takeoff attempt. He also stated that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N40579
- Reported as
- Piper PA 18-150 (A150)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-7509129
- Built
- 1976
- Airframe hours
- 5,991
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320 SERIES, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 10, 2013 · 210 hours before
- Departed
- Wasilla, AK
- Destination
- 5NK · Naknek, 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
- 42
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- August 1, 2011
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 4,800 total · 4,500 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 20,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 28 °F, dew point 27 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.44 inHg
- Observed at
- PAAQ, 8 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 13, 2014, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 345 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.