- Date
- March 27, 2020, 11:30 local (19:30 UTC)
- Place
- Wasilla, AK
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N5045XWag-Aero Sportsman 2+2
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 29, 2020
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20200327003079A
- Case key
- 101129
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 from an icy ski strip in gusting wind conditions, which resulted in the left wing impacting a tree.
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 reported that, during takeoff from an icy ski strip, there was a "light variable quartering tailwind from the south west." During the takeoff run, the ski- and tailwheel-equipped airplane veered left, and the pilot attempted to correct with opposite rudder. As the airplane became airborne, the left wing struck a tree, and the airplane "swung around" before coming to rest upright. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, both wings, and the empennage.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that during takeoff from an icy ski strip, there was a "light variable quartering tailwind from the south west." During the takeoff run, the ski and tailwheel-equipped airplane veered left and the pilot attempted to correct with opposite rudder. As the airplane became airborne, the left wing struck a tree, and the airplane was "swung around" before coming to rest upright. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, both wings, and empennage. An automated weather observation system located about 4 miles away from the accident airport reported, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 040° at 13 knots, gusting to 24 knots. The pilot was departing on runway 7.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5045X
- Reported as
- Wag-Aero Sportsman 2+2
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 42
- Built
- 1987
- Airframe hours
- 1,069.6
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 5, 2019
- Departed
- 9AK6 · Wasilla, AK
- Destination
- Skwentna, AK
- Airport
- 9AK6 · Leisurewood Airstrip, runway 07, 1,800 × 75 ft, snow
- Equipment
- Unknown
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
- 41
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 7, 2019
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 5-point
- Flight hours
- 980 total · 490 in this make and model · 880 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 40° at 13 knots, gusting 24
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 27 °F, dew point 3 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.69 inHg
- Observed at
- PAWS, 4 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 21, 2020, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 582 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 N5045X · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.