- Date
- July 1, 2023, 12:40 local (20:40 UTC)
- Place
- Beluga, AK · remote strip
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N15XXPiper PA-18
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT)
- 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/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20230701008339A
- Case key
- 192638
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 an unsuitable takeoff site, resulting in a collision with brush-covered terrain.
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 landed on a remote unimproved landing strip that was surrounded by overgrown vegetation. When the pilot attempted to takeoff, the left wing struck a stand of bushes, which pivoted the airplane to the left, and he was unable to maintain control of the airplane and subsequently impacted more bushes. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N15XX
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-811
- Built
- 1951
- Airframe hours
- 43
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-A28, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Dalks Leasing Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 5, 2023
- Departed
- AAK6 · Wasilla, AK
- Destination
- Same as departure
- Equipment
- Electronic multifunction display, ADS-B, Onboard weather
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
- 74
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Multi-engine land, Multi-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- November 14, 2022
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 11,184 total · 1,121 in this make and model · 11,984 as pilot in command · 67 in the last 90 days · 26 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 220° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 55 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.08 inHg
- Observed at
- AEN, 29 nm away
- METAR
- PAEN 012053Z 22009KT 10SM CLR 13/08 A3008 RMK AO2 SLP188 T01280083 51001,M
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 25, 2024, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 6.1 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 N15XX · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.