- Date
- October 12, 2019, 17:45 local (Oct 13, 2019, 01:45 UTC)
- Place
- Moose Pass, AK
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N645DTPiper PA18
- Defining event
- Landing: Collision during takeoff/land
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report June 16, 2020
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- Federal Aviaiotn Administration
- FAA report
- 20191012022289A
- Case key
- 100630
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 approach, which resulted in his failure to maintain clearance from a tree while landing in dusk conditions, and his subsequent loss of directional control, which resulted in a runway excursion.
Findings · 6
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 land at a remote airstrip in fading light conditions. Just before touchdown, the left wing impacted a tree, and after touchdown, the airplane exited the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing and the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot stated that the accident might have been prevented if he had flown a steeper final approach or had more daylight.
Factual narrative
The pilot was attempting to land at a remote airstrip in fading light conditions. Just before touchdown the left wing impacted a tree and the airplane exited the runway sustaining substantial damage to the left wing and fuselage. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operations. In the recommendation section of the NTSB Accident/Incident Reporting Form 6120.1, the pilot stated that the accident may have been prevented if he had flown a steeper final approach or had more daylight.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N645DT
- Reported as
- Piper PA18 (150)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-8309022
- Built
- 1982
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320 SERIES, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 24, 2019 · 4,131 hours before
- Departed
- Anchorage, AK
- Destination
- PVT · Moose Pass, AK
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
- Airport
- PVT · Private
- Equipment
- None
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
- 80
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Multi-engine land, Single-engine land, Multi-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Waiver time limited special
- Last flight review
- June 30, 2019
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 20,000 total · 8,000 in this make and model · 60 in the last 90 days · 15 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- 330° at 14 knots, gusting 21
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 45 °F, dew point 25 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.02 inHg
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 30, 2020, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 795 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.
Other investigations on N645DT · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.