# NTSB ANC24LA090: Piper PA-18A 150, N424RD, Denali, AK, September 4, 2024

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: September 4, 2024, 10:00 local (18:00 UTC)
- Place: Denali, AK · Remote airstrip
- Coordinates: 63.61734, -147.62994
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=63.6173&lon=-147.6299&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Takeoff: Windshear or thunderstorm](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/390)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office
- Parties: FAA
- NTSB case key (mKey): 195118
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC24LA090
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/195118/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=195118
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC24LA090

## Probable cause

Failure to maintain clearance from terrain due to the airplane’s encounter with windshear during takeoff.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-18A 150, 18 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=7101837), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md)
- [Wind: downdraft](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034035): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-18A 150, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034035/cases.md?model=7101837), [All aircraft, 178 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034035/cases.md)
- [Performance/control parameters: climb rate](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062035): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-18A 150, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062035/cases.md?model=7101837), [All aircraft, 265 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062035/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Takeoff: Windshear or thunderstorm](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/390) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-18A 150, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/390/sequence.md?model=7101837), [All aircraft, 224 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/390/sequence.md)
- [Takeoff: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Piper PA-18A 150, 16 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=7101837), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot of a tailwheel equipped airplane reported he was attempting to depart from a remote 600ft-long airstrip. The pilot said just after the airplane lifted off the ground, it encountered windshear and did not gain sufficient altitude to clear rising terrain at the end of the airstrip. The airplane’s tailwheel impacted terrain, and the airplane veered to the left. Subsequently, the airplane impacted terrain again and came to rest upright. The right wing and fuselage sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N424RD](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N424RD), registered now, S/N 18-5169 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-18A 150
- Registry model: [Piper PA-18A 150](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-18a-150) (registry code 7101837) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 18-5169
- Year built: 1956
- Airframe hours: 4817.1
- Engines: Lycoming O-360-C2A 180 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, March 4, 2024
- Destination: PAIN, Denali, AK
- Flight plan: VFR
- Airport: PVT, Yanert strip
- Equipment: Handheld GPS

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 41; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; last flight review May 30, 2024; seat: front; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 337 total, 269 in this make and model, 262 as pilot in command, 66 in the last 90 days, 18 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 9,000 ft overcast
- Temperature: 52 °F, dew point 36 °F
- Altimeter: 29.88 inHg
- Observed at: PAIN, 35 nm away
- METAR: PAIN 041756Z AUTO VRB05KT 10SM OVC090 11/02 A2988 RMK AO2 SLP131 T01060022 10106 20039 58019

## Docket (2 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 5, 2025, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=195118. 939 KB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 876 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17788408&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ANC24LA090%206120_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Photographs (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 63 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17789041&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ANC24LA090%20No%20photos-Rel.pdf

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.