- Date
- May 13, 2021, 10:00 local (18:00 UTC)
- Place
- Palmer, AK
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N154TPiper PA-18-105 Special
- 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
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20210513008889A
- Case key
- 103099
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 selection of unsuitable terrain for takeoff, which resulted in a loss of control and ground loop.
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 of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, during the takeoff from an unimproved airstrip, the left tire sunk into soft ground and the airplane veered left. Subsequently, the left tire encountered willow bushes and the airplane ground looped to the left sustaining substantial damage to the right wing, right aileron, and empennage. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N154T
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18-105 Special
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-2268
- Built
- 1952
- Airframe hours
- 5,779
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- John H. Holman
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 19, 2020
- Equipment
- ADS-B, 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
- 51
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 4, 2021
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 6,700 total · 240 in this make and model · 6,500 as pilot in command · 6 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 52 °F, dew point 30 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.11 inHg
- Observed at
- PAAQ, 29 nm away
- METAR
- PAAQ 131753Z 00000KT 10SM CLR 11/M01 A3011 RMK AO2 SLP200 T01111011 10117 20039 58009
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 12, 2021, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.6 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 N154T · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.