- Date
- May 17, 1990, 18:30 local (May 18, 1990, 02:30 UTC)
- Place
- Big Mountain, AK
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N407WBPiper PA-18
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 21, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19900517016999A
- Case key
- 5366
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
Pilot-in-command failed to compensate for gusty wind conditions and control of the aircraft during the take off roll.
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
During the takeoff roll, the pilot lost directional control of the airplane. The airplane then nosed over on to its back. The pilot stated that a gust of wind caused the loss of control. Wind conditions were 120 degrees at 15 knots with gusts to 20 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N407WB
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 188085
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-A2B, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Chris F. Goll
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Airport
- runway 9, 3,500 × 75 ft, gravel
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
- 47
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 4,000 total · 2,500 in this make and model · 4,000 as pilot in command · 30 in the last 90 days · 30 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 120° at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility
- 50 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,500 ft broken
- Temperature
- 55 °F, dew point 30 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.