- Date
- July 11, 1992, 04:00 local (12:00 UTC)
- Place
- Kugururak River, AK
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N9961DPiper PA-22
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 14, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19920711026829A
- Case key
- 5754
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 failure to maintain directional control during takeoff. Factors include rough/uneven 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
The pilot of the tailwheel equipped Piper PA-22 landed on an unimproved airstrip in remote Alaska. He determined that the runway had a considerable rut or bump about one third to half way down the strip. During takeoff, at approximately 50 miles per hour, the right tire entered the rut and the airplane swerved to the right, headed off the runway. After remedial actions proved inadequate, the pilot elected to abort the takeoff. The airplane nosed over when the brakes were applied.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9961D
- Reported as
- Piper PA-22
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 22-6752
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-B, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Jody R. Sessom, Dds
- Registered owner
- Jody R. Sessom, Dds
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 21, 1991 · 60 hours before
- Destination
- AIN · Wainwright, AK
- Airport
- None
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
- 31
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Expired
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 120 total · 60 in this make and model · 93 as pilot in command · 60 in the last 90 days · 36 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 60 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.