- Date
- July 26, 2020, 19:00 local (Jul 27, 2020, 03:00 UTC)
- Place
- Fairbanks, AK
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N1277APiper PA 18
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Adminstration
- FAA report
- 20200726009779A
- Case key
- 101784
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 decision to depart from an off-airport surface that had standing water, which resulted in a loss of control and impact with terrain.
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 reported that, during the takeoff roll on an off-airport grass strip, as the airplane reached flying speed, it encountered a puddle of water which was hidden in grass and the pilot lost control of the airplane, which resulted in an impact with tundra tussocks and a main landing gear collapse. The fuselage and left lift strut sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. He also reported that the accident could have been prevented had he performed a better walk down of the grass strip.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1277A
- Reported as
- Piper PA 18 (125)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-1072
- Built
- 1951
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 150 hp, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 27, 2019
- Departed
- PAFA · Fairbanks, AK
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Equipment
- Handheld GPS
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
- 32
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 262 total · 120 in this make and model · 262 as pilot in command · 28 in the last 90 days · 22 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 270° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 8,500 ft broken
- Temperature
- 67 °F, dew point 48 °F
- Altimeter
- 2965.00 inHg
- Observed at
- PAFA
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 8, 2021, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 8.7 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 N1277A · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.