- Date
- August 15, 2024, 18:20 local (Aug 16, 2024, 02:20 UTC)
- Place
- Arctic Village, AK
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N82065Piper PA-18-150
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control in flight
- 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 Fairbanks
- FAA report
- 20240815012719A
- Case key
- 194992
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 NTSB’s determination of the probable cause, and any contributing factors.
The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during takeoff in gusting wind conditions.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings.
Analysis
The pilot reported that, shortly after takeoff, the airplane encountered a strong gust of wind that lifted the left wing and pushed the airplane to the right of the remote, off airport site. The right wingtip struck the ground, and the airplane ground looped which resulted in substantial damage to the right wing and horizontal stabilizer. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N82065
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18-150
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-7809124
- Built
- 1978
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-B2B, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 27, 2024
- Departed
- Arctic Village, AK
- Destination
- PACR · Circle City, AK
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
- 46
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Unknown
- Last flight review
- August 21, 2022
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 387 total · 351 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 70° at 12 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 52 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.86 inHg
- Observed at
- PABA, 78 nm away
- METAR
- PABA 160152Z AUTO 07012KT 10SM CLR 11/08 A2986 RMK AO2 SLP118 T01110078
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 9, 2025, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 6.5 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 N82065 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.