- Date
- September 10, 1989, 18:30 local (Sep 11, 1989, 02:30 UTC)
- Place
- Wood River, AK
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N4099EPiper PA-18
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 18, 1990
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19890910034499A
- Case key
- 5258
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
Innadequate preflight planning/preparation by the pilot. The wind conditions, high density altitude and trees were contributing factors.
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.
Analysis
The pilot said he was taking off from a 900' strip which had an elevation of 2000'. He stated that during the initial climb, the airplane encountered a strong gust and would not out-climb the treetops. Subsequently, the left wing hit a tree and the airplane crashed about 60' beyond the end of the runway. The wind was reported to be variable at 20 gusting 40 KTS.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4099E
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-7809066
- Airframe hours
- 1,904
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-A2B, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Laverne, Bates
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 27, 1989 · 46 hours before
- Airport
- Hunting Strip
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
- 54
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 4,000 total · 1,900 in this make and model · 3,900 as pilot in command · 40 in the last 90 days · 15 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 20 knots, gusting 40
- Visibility
- 75 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 61 °F, dew point 41 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.