- Date
- September 11, 2020, 19:15 local (Sep 12, 2020, 03:15 UTC)
- Place
- Chitina, AK
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N416RKPiper PA18
- 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
- FAA report
- 20200911018819A
- Case key
- 101976
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, which resulted in a runway excursion.
Findings · 2
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 downhill, from an unimproved airstrip, the airplane “rolled over a bump”, became airborne, and yawed slightly right. The pilot attempted to correct for the loss of directional control to no avail. Subsequently, the airplane drifted, exited the airstrip, and came to rest in the trees. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N416RK
- Reported as
- Piper PA18 (150)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-8434
- Built
- 1966
- Airframe hours
- 2,390.7
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-A2B, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Windyfork LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 11, 2020
- Destination
- 15Z · McCarthy, AK
- Airport
- N/A · Nizina Strip, runway E/W, 2,200 × 100 ft, grass/turf
- 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
- 63
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 24, 2019
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 1,075 total · 14 in this make and model · 1,028 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 48 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.18 inHg
- Observed at
- PACV, 1 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 20, 2021, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 16.9 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 N416RK · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.