- Date
- February 7, 1986, 10:22 local (14:22 UTC)
- Place
- Wasilla, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N4431ZPiper PA-18
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19860207002399A
- Case key
- 4635
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Analysis
The pilot lost control of the airplane while taxiing, inadvertently took off in gusty wind and crashed into adjacent trees.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
In flight collision with object
Preflight planning/preparation - inadequateCause
Weather condition - unfavorable windFactor
Weather evaluation - inaccurateCause
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4431Z
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-1769
- Airframe hours
- 1,534
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-A2B, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Kimmeth Jack Irwin
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 20, 1985 · 45 hours before
- Departed
- 99Z · Wasilla, AK
- Destination
- Palmer, AK
- Airport
- 99Z · Finger Lake Spb
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
- 42
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 408 total · 408 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 40° at 15 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility
- 3 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 37 °F
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 N4431Z · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.