- Date
- September 16, 2025, 16:30 local (Sep 17, 2025, 00:30 UTC)
- Place
- Delta Junction, AK
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N7777DPiper PA-18-150
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Collision during takeoff/land
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 17, 2026
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20250916014419A
- Case key
- 201034
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 failure to maintain clearance from an object during takeoff, which resulted in a collision and ground loop. Contributing was the pilot’s selection of an unsuitable takeoff area.
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 the takeoff roll while departing from a remote ridgeline in a tailwheel-equipped airplane, the airplane’s left wing struck a small pine tree. The airplane subsequently ground looped to the left, which resulted in substantial damage to the right wing and fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7777D
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18-150
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-5962
- Built
- 1954
- Airframe hours
- 4,963.8
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-B2B, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 29, 2025 · 21.8 hours before
- Destination
- D66 · Delta Junction, AK
- Airport
- NONE · Ridge
- 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
- 55
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 26, 2024
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 666 total · 475 in this make and model · 601 as pilot in command · 18 in the last 90 days · 13 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 57 °F, dew point 37 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.69 inHg
- Observed at
- PABI, 36 nm away
- METAR
- PABI 170016Z 080/17KT 10SM FEW120 14/03 A2969 RMK EXTREME WATERFOWL VC
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 17, 2026, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.9 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 N7777D · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.