# NTSB ANC14CA047: Piper PA 18, N72842, Cantwell, AK, June 25, 2014 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: June 25, 2014, 10:30 local (18:30 UTC) - Place: Cantwell, AK - Coordinates: 63.38972, -146.900833 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=63.3897&lon=-146.9008&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Takeoff: Turbulence encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report January 22, 2015 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - Parties: FSDO - 03 - NTSB case key (mKey): 89554 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC14CA047 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/89554/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=89554 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC14CA047 ## Probable cause The pilot's encounter with a wind gust during takeoff from a short gravel bar, which resulted in the airplane settling after rotation and striking obstacles. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Personnel issues](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02060000): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 137 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02060000/cases.md) - [Wind: gusts](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Contributed to outcome; cases with it: [All aircraft, 1,199 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Takeoff: Turbulence encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360) (defining event); cases with it: [All aircraft, 423 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360/sequence.md) - [Takeoff: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot was taking off from a gravel bar in a tailwheel-equipped airplane with a load of light, bulky cargo items. The gravel bar was in a valley location surrounded by mountainous terrain. He said that the wind indicators along the strip favored the takeoff direction, which was the same direction he had used for landing earlier. He stated that all felt normal during the takeoff roll, but the airplane encountered "a gust from behind or above" upon rotation. The airplane subsequently settled back to the surface and struck brush near the end of strip, turned, and came to a stop across a small ditch. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing and the aft section of the fuselage. The pilot stated that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported that, right after the accident, he observed that the wind became very gusty to about 20 mph. He noted that the wind condition returned to light and variable in less than an hour. ## Factual narrative The pilot was taking off from a gravel bar in a tailwheel-equipped airplane with a load of light, bulky cargo items. The gravel bar was in a valley location surrounded by mountainous terrain. He said that the wind indicators along the strip favored the takeoff direction, which was the same direction he had used for landing earlier. He stated that all felt normal during the takeoff roll, but the airplane encountered "a gust from behind or above" upon rotation. The airplane subsequently settled back to the surface and struck brush near the end of strip, turned, and came to a stop across a small ditch. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing and the aft section of the fuselage. The pilot stated that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported that, right after the accident, he observed that the wind became very gusty to about 20 mph. He noted that the wind condition returned to light and variable in less than an hour. ## Aircraft - Registration: N72842 (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA 18 - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 18-192 - Year built: 1950 - Airframe hours: 6481 - Engines: LYCOMING O-320 A2B 150 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Part 135 - Operator: Sluice Box Inc, doing business as Gracious House Flying Service - Registered owner: Gratias-Rhoades Living Trust - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, August 20, 2013 - Departed: Cantwell, AK - Destination: Cantwell, AK - Flight plan: Company VFR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 70; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine sea, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review August 15, 2013; seat: front; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 8,115 total, 7,000 in this make and model, 8,115 as pilot in command, 0.5 in the last 90 days, 0.5 in the last 30 days, 0.5 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 3 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 1,500 ft overcast - Temperature: 52 °F, dew point 52 °F - Altimeter: 29.64 inHg - Observed at: PABI, 44 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20140625010419A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20140625010419A), Jun 25, 2014: Piper PA-18, Cantwell, AK, Substantial damage. Airman was flying cargo out of gravel strip near e. susitna glacier. Airman landed prior without incident. Airman reported weather at the time to be light… ## Docket (1 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 8, 2015, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=89554. 789 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 789 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40420740&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.