- Date
- August 15, 2023, 13:30 local (21:30 UTC)
- Place
- Tyonek, AK · South Twin Strip
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N3995ZPiper PA-18-150
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Dragged wing/rotor/float/other
- 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 Administration (FAA)
- FAA report
- 20230815012189A
- Case key
- 192958
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 encounter with windshear during the initial climb, which resulted in a loss of control.
Findings · 4
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 climb-out from a remote airstrip, he encountered an abrupt wind shift and windshear. According to the pilot, the airplane was unable to gain altitude and was eventually “forced” into the ground, causing substantial damage to the left wing, left horizontal stabilizer, and fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no pre-accident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3995Z
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18-150
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-7944
- Built
- 1963
- Airframe hours
- 7,524.1
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 15, 2023 · 56.1 hours before
- Destination
- PABV · Chugiak, AK
- Equipment
- ADS-B, Handheld GPS, Satellite tracking device
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
- September 24, 2022
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 596 total · 545.8 in this make and model · 524 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 30° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 20,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 61 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.78 inHg
- Observed at
- ANC, 36 nm away
- METAR
- PANC 152053Z 03003KT 10SM FEW010 SCT120 BKN200 16/11 A2978 RMK AO2 SLP084 T01560106 58010
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 4, 2024, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.0 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 N3995Z · 3
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.