- Date
- June 9, 1995, 17:30 local (Jun 10, 1995, 01:30 UTC)
- Place
- Nikiski, AK
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N8570CPiper PA-18
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 4, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19950609017309A
- Case key
- 2660
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 pilot's premature liftoff and subsequent inadvertent stall.
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 reported he was practicing beach takeoffs and landings. During the accident takeoff attempt, he said the airplane hit a bump on the beach and turned towards the water. He said he pulled the airplane into the air with insufficient airspeed, and was unable to maintain a steady flight state. The airplane soon stalled and crashed into the water. Both the pilot and the sole passenger aboard were able to swim to shore.
Factual narrative
On June 9, 1995, about 1730 Alaska daylight time, a wheel equipped Piper PA-18 airplane, N8570C, sustained substantial damage when it collided with water shortly after takeoff from a beach near Nikiski, Alaska. The private pilot and sole passenger aboard were not injured. The personal flight operated in visual meteorological conditions without a flight plan. The flight's intended destination was Big Lake, Alaska.
During an interview with the pilot on June 13, he related to the NTSB investigator in charge that he was practicing beach landings and takeoffs. On the accident takeoff, he said that the airplane hit a bump and veered towards the water. He said he applied the last notch of flap, and forced the airplane into the air at a low airspeed. Shortly after liftoff, the left wing stalled, and the pilot said he lowered the nose as far as he could to gain additional airspeed. The airplane subsequently struck the water approximately 200 feet off shore. Both occupants were able to swim to the beach unaided.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8570C
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-2722
- Engine
- Lycoming O-290-D2, 135 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Neal B. Burleson
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Destination
- BGQ · Big Lake, AK
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
- 42
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 750 total · 65 in this make and model · 650 as pilot in command · 90 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 90° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 40 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.
Other investigations on N8570C · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.