- Date
- September 13, 2014, 13:00 local (21:00 UTC)
- Place
- Susitna, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N959EPiper PA 18-135
- Defining event
- Initial climb: Loss of lift
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 13, 2014
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- Anchorage FSDO-3
- FAA report
- 20140913020379A
- Case key
- 90069
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 inadequate compensation for gusting, variable wind conditions during initial climb after 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 reported that he was departing from a wet and soft off-airport site, in a tailwheel-equipped airplane, during gusty wind conditions. He stated that shortly after takeoff, as the airplane neared the departure end of the site, the headwind abruptly decreased, and the airplane subsequently descended into an area of brush-covered terrain at the end of the site. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. The pilot reported there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that he was departing from a wet and soft off-airport site, in a tailwheel-equipped airplane, during gusty wind conditions. He stated that shortly after takeoff, as the airplane neared the departure end of the site, the headwind abruptly decreased, and the airplane subsequently descended into an area of brush-covered terrain at the end of the site. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. The pilot reported there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N959E
- Reported as
- Piper PA 18-135 (NO SERIES)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-4021
- Built
- 1955
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 15, 2014
- Departed
- Susitna, AK
- Destination
- LHD · Anchorage, AK
- Flight plan
- VFR
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
- 27
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 11, 2014
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 8,000 total · 1,100 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,500 ft broken
- Temperature
- 59 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.70 inHg
- Observed at
- PASW, 18 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 3, 2014, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.3 MB 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.