# NTSB ANC98TA083: Piper PA-18, N745, Cold Bay, AK, June 22, 1998 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Final report - Date: June 22, 1998, 12:13 local (20:13 UTC) - Place: Cold Bay, AK - Coordinates: 55.219825, -162.780807 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=55.2198&lon=-162.7808&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report May 19, 1999 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 3176 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC98TA083 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/3176/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC98TA083 ## Probable cause The pilot's inadequate compensation for crosswind conditions. The presence of a crosswind was a factor in the accident. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - on ground/water, takeoff - roll/run - weather condition - crosswind (contributing factor) - compensation for wind conditions - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) ## Analysis The certificated commercial pilot and a passenger, were departing a remote area of beach in a tail wheel equipped airplane. The U.S. government flight was for the purpose of picking up the passenger who had been engaged in a fishery surveillance. The pilot began the takeoff roll toward the west, paralleling the shoreline. A crosswind from the southwest was blowing from the beach toward the water. During takeoff, the airplane veered to the right. The pilot lost directional control of the airplane, and the airplane dropped off the edge of a 5 foot high sand dune and hit in an area of hard, wet sand. The airplane subsequently ground looped to the right, and sustained substantial damage. ## Factual narrative On June 22, 1998, about 1213 Alaska daylight time, a tundra tire and tail wheel equipped Piper PA-18 airplane, N745, sustained substantial damage during takeoff from a remote area of beach on Unimak Island, about 58 miles southwest of Cold Bay, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) government flight under Title 14 CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The airplane was registered to the Office of Aviation Services, U.S. Department of Interior, and operated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The certificated commercial pilot, and the sole passenger, were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), on June 23, 1998, an investigator with the Office of Aviation Services, Boise, Idaho, reported the pilot was departing a beach area in Urilla Bay, on Unimak Island. The pilot was picking up an Alaska State Department of Public Service, Fish and Wildlife Protection Aide from the beach, for transportation to Cold Bay. The aide was conducting surveillance of an Alaskan fishery. In the pilot/operator report (NTSB form 6120.1/2), the pilot stated he began a takeoff roll toward the west, paralleling the shoreline. A crosswind from the southwest, between 12 to 14 knots, was blowing from the beach toward the water. During the takeoff the tail came up slowly, and the airplane veered to the right. The pilot applied left aileron and rudder in an effort to maintain directional control of the airplane. The airplane dropped off the edge of a 5 foot high sand dune, and touched down in an area of hard, wet sand. The airplane ground looped to the right, and came to rest 160 degrees from the original departure heading. The airplane received damage to the left wing, fuselage, and the left horizontal stabilizer. ## Aircraft - Registration: N745 (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: Piper PA-18 - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 18-7709 - Airframe hours: 4048 - Engines: Lycoming O-320-B2B 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Part 91 - Registered owner: Office Of Aviation Services - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, April 6, 1998, 35 hours before - Destination: CDB, AK - Flight plan: VFR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 38; commercial, flight engineer; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: front; flight hours: 3,150 total, 116 in this make and model, 1,350 as pilot in command, 48 in the last 90 days, 16 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 225° at 14 knots - Visibility: 15 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 1,500 ft broken - Temperature: 45 °F ## 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 19980622020309A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980622020309A), Jun 22, 1998: Piper PA18150, Cold Bay, AK, Substantial damage. Us fish and wildlife service flight. Left wing hit ground on a crosswind beach takeoff failed proper control use. (From .4) the certificated commercial pilot… 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.