- Date
- March 19, 2017, 13:20 local (16:20 UTC)
- Place
- Palmer, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N92544Piper PA 12
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 5, 2017
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20170319014539A
- Case key
- 94887
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 failure to maintain directional control during takeoff, which resulted in a ground loop.
Findings · 3
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 of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, during takeoff, he added full power, applied right rudder, and "pushed [the] stick forward to lift [the] tail off the ground." He added that the tail came back onto the ground and that the airplane veered to the right. He further added that he overcorrected to the left and that the airplane ground looped; subsequently, the right main landing gear collapsed, and the right wing and elevator impacted the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing and elevator. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the tailwheel equipped airplane reported that during takeoff he added full power, applied right rudder, and "pushed [the] stick forward to lift [the] tail off the ground". He added that the tail came back onto the ground and the airplane veered to the right. He further added that he overcorrected to the left and the airplane ground looped; subsequently, the right main landing gear collapsed and the right wing and elevator impacted the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing and elevator. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N92544
- Reported as
- Piper PA 12 (NO SERIES)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 12-73
- Built
- 1946
- Airframe hours
- 1,873
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320 SERIES, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 30, 2016
- Departed
- PAQ · Palmer, AK
- Destination
- FAI · Fairbanks, AK
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- PAQ · Palmer Muni, runway 16, 6,009 × 100 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- None
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
- 53
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- February 16, 2012
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 600 total · 2 in this make and model · 500 as pilot in command · 30 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 170° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 20,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 19 °F, dew point 7 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.73 inHg
- Observed at
- PAAQ
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 7, 2017, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 520 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.