- Date
- May 28, 2021, 09:00 local (17:00 UTC)
- Place
- Perryville, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N4323ZPiper PA-18-150
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Windshear or thunderstorm
- Weather
- 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
- 20210528011129A
- Case key
- 103228
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 airplane’s encounter with windshear on takeoff, which resulted in a loss of control and impact with the ground.
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, just after takeoff from a remote off-airport landing site, he encountered windshear that pushed the airplane into the tops of alder trees and onto a gravel bar. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, right wing and right elevator. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operations.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4323Z
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18-150
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-8638
- Built
- 1968
- Airframe hours
- 1,800
- Engine
- Lycoming 0-320 SERIES, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Thomas F Watkins
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 30, 2021
- 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
- 68
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 3, 2020
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 5,200 total · 4,600 in this make and model · 60 in the last 90 days · 20 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Day
- Wind
- 30° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 2 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,200 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 45 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.55 inHg
- Observed at
- PAJC, 46 nm away
- METAR
- PAJC 281737Z AUTO 03006KT 2SM -RA BR SCT006 OVC012 07/06 A2955 RMK AO2 RAB31 P0000 $
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 12, 2021, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.2 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.