- Date
- August 16, 1998, 09:00 local (17:00 UTC)
- Place
- Tok, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N8252CPiper PA-18-150
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 19, 1999
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19980816021419A
- Case key
- 43868
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 inadequate compensation for wind conditions. A factor associated with the accident were gusty winds.
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 private pilot was attempting a southwesterly departure from a 650 feet long off airport landing site. He stated that about midway into the takeoff run, the airplane became airborne, but failed to gain sufficient altitude to clear a stand of willow trees at the end of the takeoff run. During an interview the pilot said: 'I was about 5 or 6 feet high when the strong winds pushed the airplane into the willows at the end of the takeoff area.' The pilot reported in his written statement to the NTSB, that the wind conditions at the time of the accident were from the southwest at 15 knots, with peak gusts to 20 knots.
Factual narrative
On August 16, 1998, about 0900 Alaska daylight time, a tundra tire equipped Piper PA-18-150 airplane, N8252C, sustained substantial damage during takeoff from an off airport site located about 40 miles west of Tok, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) local area personal flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The solo private pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed.
During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge on August 18, the pilot reported that he was attempting a southwesterly departure from a 650 feet long off airport site. He stated that about midway into the takeoff run, the airplane became airborne, but failed to gain sufficient altitude to clear a stand of willow trees at the end of the airstrip. The pilot said: "I was about 5 or 6 feet high when strong winds pushed the airplane into the willows at the end of the site."
The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, and right wing lift strut.
The pilot reported in his written statement to the NTSB, that the wind conditions at the time of the accident were from the southwest at 15 knots, with peak gusts to 20 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8252C
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18-150
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-3677
- Airframe hours
- 5,341
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320A2B, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Charles E. Heckler
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 1, 1998 · 50 hours before
- Destination
- TKJ · 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
- 50
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 1,998 total · 1,850 in this make and model · 1,898 as pilot in command · 50 in the last 90 days · 40 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 200° at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,500 ft broken
- Temperature
- 57 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.