- Date
- June 14, 2015, 13:30 local (21:30 UTC)
- Place
- Soldotna, AK
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N2892ZPiper PA 18A 150
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 5, 2015
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- FAA Anchorage FSDO
- FAA report
- 20150614008769A
- Case key
- 91380
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 loss of directional control during takeoff in gusty crosswind conditions.
Findings · 3
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 gravel runway with a left gusting crosswind. Just after lifting off the ground, the pilot stated that the airplane rapidly turned 90 degrees to the right. The left main landing gear tire contacted the runway, and the airplane ground looped then nosed over, sustaining substantial damage to both wings and the empennage. The pilot stated that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot was departing from a gravel runway with a left gusting crosswind. Just after lifting off the ground, the pilot stated that the airplane rapidly turned 90 degrees to the right. The left main landing gear tire contacted the runway, and the airplane ground looped then nosed over, sustaining substantial damage to both wings and the empennage. The pilot stated that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2892Z
- Reported as
- Piper PA 18A 150 (A150)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-7075
- Built
- 1959
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320 SERIES, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 14, 2014 · 150 hours before
- Departed
- Soldotna, AK
- Destination
- SXQ · Soldotna, AK
- Airport
- SXQ · Soldotna, runway 07S, 2,312 × 50 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
- 36
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- September 21, 2013
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 500 total · 480 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 40° at 6 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.35 inHg
- Observed at
- PASX
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 7, 2015, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.0 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.
Other investigations on N2892Z · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.