- Date
- June 4, 2014
- Place
- Fairbanks, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N3442DCessna 170B
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 7, 2017
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- FAA - Fairbanks FSDO
- FAA report
- 20140604009169A
- Case key
- 89370
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 airplane's encounter with a tailwind during takeoff from a short, narrow airstrip, which resulted in a loss of lift and collision with brush and small trees.
Findings · 5
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 said that he was departing in his airplane from the downhill-sloping (east) runway at 9AK with a slight tailwind. He said that, as the airplane tried to become airborne, the tailwind increased considerably, and the airplane would not climb. The airplane struck brush that encroached the east end of the runway area and veered left into brush and small trees. He stated that no mechanical failures or malfunctions of the airplane precluded normal operation. Damage included the separation of the right outboard elevator. Photographs of the airstrip provided by the pilot showed that 9AK was a short, narrow, rough-surfaced airstrip with brush growth encroachment.
Factual narrative
The pilot said that he was departing in his airplane from the downhill-sloping (east) runway at 9AK with a slight tailwind. He said that, as the airplane tried to become airborne, the tailwind increased considerably, and the airplane would not climb. The airplane struck brush that encroached the east end of the runway area and veered left into brush and small trees. He stated that no mechanical failures or malfunction of the airplane precluded normal operation. Damage included the separation of the right outboard elevator. (Note: Photographs of the airstrip provided by the pilot showed that 9AK was a short, narrow, rough-surfaced airstrip with brush growth encroachment.)
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3442D
- Reported as
- Cessna 170B (UNDESIGNAT)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 26985
- Built
- 1955
- Engine
- Cont Motor O-300 SER, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- FAI · Fairbanks, AK
- Destination
- 9AK · Fairbanks, AK
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- 9AK · Totatlanika River, runway 07, 780 × 30 ft, gravel
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
- 47
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Unknown
- Seat
- Left
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 9,500 ft broken
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 30 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.04 inHg
- Observed at
- FAI, 50 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 9, 2017, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 758 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.