- Date
- June 26, 1991, 20:00 local (Jun 27, 1991, 04:00 UTC)
- Place
- Naknek, AK
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N6908KPiper PA-20
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 3, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19910626025159A
- Case key
- 5631
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 loss of control during the takeoff sequence caused by the failure of the tail wheel steering spring. Factors contributing to the accident were the gusty wind conditions and soft terrain.
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
According to the initial interview with the pilot and one passenger, he was beginning his takeoff roll when he lost control and the airplane ran off the side of the runway and nosed over. The pilot stated that the tail wheel steering spring had failed. The accident was not reported until October 1991, and the airplane was repaired before the tailwheel spring could be examined.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6908K
- Reported as
- Piper PA-20
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 20-14
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Jeremy Davis
- Registered owner
- Thomas P. O'Hara
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 2, 2000
- Destination
- NAK · Naknek, AK
- Airport
- Naknek City Strip, runway 24, 1,980 × 70 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
- 25
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 500 total · 450 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 100° at 10 knots, gusting 12
- Visibility
- 50 statute miles
- Temperature
- 64 °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 N6908K · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.