- Date
- September 9, 2022, 14:30 local (22:30 UTC)
- Place
- Delta Junction, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N303TPiper PA-18-105 Special
- Defining event
- Initial climb: Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- Flight Standards District Office
- Case key
- 105918
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 decision to depart during high, gusty wind conditions which resulted sink and subsequent impact with terrain.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot planned to depart from a 2,250 ft turf/gravel runway with expected wind conditions of 5 to 10 knots. After he arrived to the airplane, the pilot observed high wind conditions, with gusts to 40 knots. The pilot elected to depart and as the airplane passed over trees during the initial climb, he noticed high, gusty wind conditions, which he made full control inputs to counter. The airplane entered into sink and it subsequently impacted terrain, which resulted in substantial damage to the right wing and right horizontal stabilizer. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation, and that he should have delayed the departure based on the high wind conditions.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N303T
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18-105 Special
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-2417
- Built
- 1953
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 160 hp, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public aircraft - federal · Public use
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- 5BK · Black Rapids, AK
- Destination
- PAFA · Fairbanks, AK
- Airport
- n/a
- Equipment
- Electronic flight bag or handheld device
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
- 36
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Military
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 15, 2022
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 4,200 total · 120 in this make and model · 2,500 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 30 knots, gusting 40
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 54 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.58 inHg
- Turbulence
- Moderate
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 27, 2022, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.9 MB in all.
Other investigations on N303T · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.