# NTSB ANC96LA073: Piper PA-18, N4319Z, Cold Bay, AK, May 17, 1996 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: May 16, 1996, 18:00 local (May 17, 1996, 02:00 UTC) - Place: Cold Bay, AK - Coordinates: 55.220062, -162.779266 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=55.2201&lon=-162.7793&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Taxi](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/250) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report August 20, 1996 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 2842 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC96LA073 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/2842/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC96LA073 ## Probable cause the pilot's excessive taxi speed. Factors associated with the accident were: the pilot's improper preflight inspection of the airplane, and the entanglement of the left main landing gear brake and axle with wire. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - on ground/water, taxi - to takeoff - taxispeed - excessive, pilot in command (cause) - aircraft preflight - inadequate, pilot in command (contributing factor) - landing gear,axle - entangled (contributing factor) - landing gear,normal brake system - entangled (contributing factor) - Main gear collapsed, taxi - to takeoff ## Analysis The pilot reported he was taxiing his airplane fairly fast with the tailwheel raised. He said he lost control of the airplane and ground looped. Postaccident inspection disclosed a piece of World War Two-vintage communication wire wrapped around the left main landing gear axle and brake assembly. The pilot said he was unsure if the wire was picked up during the taxi just prior to takeoff, or at an earlier time. He indicated in his written statement that he now performs a closer inspection of his airplane prior to each flight. ## Factual narrative On May 16, 1996, about 1800 Alaska daylight time, a "Tundra" tire equipped Piper PA-18 airplane, N4319Z, sustained substantial damage while taxiing for takeoff at the Cold Bay Airport, Cold Bay, Alaska. The private pilot and sole passenger aboard were not injured. The local personal flight was operating under 14 CFR Part 91 at the time of the accident. A VFR flight plan was filed. The NTSB investigator-in-charge had a telephone interview with the pilot on May 17. The pilot related he began to taxi from the parking revetment to the active runway. He said the wind favored runway 26, and he taxied "fairly fast", with the tailwheel off the surface, down the intersecting runway, runway 14, to the departure end of runway 26. During the taxi, he said he lost directional control for an unknown reason, and the airplane turned to the left. He said the airplane slid on the right tire for quite a distance, and then the right main landing gear collapsed, which allowed the right wing to strike the asphalt runway surface. The pilot said he could find no mechanical problems with the airplane that might have caused the loss of control. He did note that one of the right main gear legs had an unusual looking "spiral" to it, and that he was uncertain if the spiral occurred during the accident. Subsequent information received from the pilot revealed that upon closer inspection of the airplane, a length of World War Two-vintage communication wire was found wrapped around the left axle and brake assembly. The pilot was unsure if the airplane acquired the wire during the taxi just preceding the accident, or some earlier time. The pilot wrote in his statement to the NTSB that since the accident, he has increased the thoroughness of his preflight inspections. The Cold Bay weather sequence report issued at 1751, indicates that the surface wind was from 290 degrees at 15 knots. The airplane was equipped with Gar Aero wheel adapters and 29 inch tires. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N4319Z](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N4319Z), registered now, S/N 18-8632, built 1967 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA-18 - Registry model: [Piper PA-18-150](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-18-150) (registry code 7101828) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming O-360-C4P](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-360-c4p) (registry code 42289, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 18-8632 - Airframe hours: 3508 - Engines: Lycoming O-320-A2B 150 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Jerry J. Jacques - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility - Last inspection: Annual, July 1, 1995, 150 hours before - Departed: CDB - Flight plan: VFR - Airport: CDB, Cold Bay, runway 14, 10,400 × 150 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 39; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land, single-engine sea; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: front; flight hours: 5,200 total, 2,000 in this make and model, 5,200 as pilot in command, 35 in the last 90 days, 35 in the last 30 days, 5 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 290° at 15 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 54 °F, dew point 34 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg - Observed at: CDB ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19960516010809A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19960516010809A), May 16, 1996: Piper PA18150, Cold Bay, AK, Substantial damage. Tundra tire equipped plane lost control on tailup fast taxi. Slid sideways. Right gear folded. Wire rapped on gear. ## Other investigations on N4319Z (4) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB ANC04FA056](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC04FA056), May 22, 2004: Piper PA-18-150 (N4319Z), Cold Bay, AK, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: A loss of engine power during the final approach to land for an undetermined reason, and the pilot's failure to maintain airspeed during the ensuing emergency descent, which resulted in an… - [NTSB ANC98LA044](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC98LA044), May 5, 1998: Piper PA-18-160 (N4319Z), Talkeetna, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: the pilot's inadequate aircraft preflight. A factor was the inadvertent activation of the parking brake. - [NTSB ANC91FA067](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC91FA067), Jun 8, 1991: Piper PA-18-150 (N4319Z), Wasilla, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: THE POWERPLANT FAILURE FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS AND THE COLLISION WITH THE WIRES. - [NTSB FTW75FQG25](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW75FQG25), Oct 16, 1974: Piper PA-18 (N4319Z), San Angelo, TX, substantial damage From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.