- Date
- September 4, 1988, 15:35 local (23:35 UTC)
- Place
- Talkeetna, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N7697DPiper PA-18-150
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 10, 1989
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19880904036969A
- Case key
- 5065
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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.
Loss of control - in flight
Terrain condition - loose gravel/sandyFactor
Terrain condition - rough/unevenFactor
Airspeed - not attainedCause
Directional control - not maintainedCause
Stall - inadvertentCause
In flight collision with terrain/water
Analysis
The pilot stated that during the takeoff roll and initial climb from the gravel bar, he lost directional control of the airplane causing the airplane to stall, then the airplane ground looped.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7697D
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18-150
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 185925
- Airframe hours
- 1,698
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Wells, Ray
- Registered owner
- Ray Wells
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 7, 1988 · 1,698 hours before
N7697DRegistered now · Piper PA-18A 150Airframe modelPiper PA-18A 150Engine modelLycoming 0-320 series
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
- 49
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine sea, Multi-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 22,000 total · 1,500 in this make and model · 20,000 as pilot in command · 300 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility
- 3 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 45 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.