- Date
- October 7, 2017, 14:30 local (22:30 UTC)
- Place
- Manokatak, AK
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N81818Maule M 7
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 14, 2018
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20171007014389A
- Case key
- 96163
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 in gusting wind conditions.
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 reported that, during takeoff from a beach, a wind gust pushed the airplane down, and he was unable to arrest the descent. Subsequently, the right wing impacted the beach first, then the left wing, the left landing gear collapsed, and the airplane came to a stop. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. According to the pilot, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 40° at 10 knots, gusting to 18 knots, and visibility was 10 miles. It is unknown from which direction the airplane was departing.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that during takeoff from a beach, a gust of wind pushed the airplane down, and he was unable to arrest the decent. Subsequently the right wing impacted the beach first, then the left wing, the left landing gear collapsed, and the airplane came to a stop. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. According to the pilot the weather about the time of the accident was wind from 40° at 10 knots, wind gusts at 18 knots, and visibility of 10 miles. Its unknown which direction the airplane was departing.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N81818
- Reported as
- Maule M 7 (235)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 4047C
- Built
- 1987
- Airframe hours
- 3,434
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540-33A5, 235 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · September 4, 2017
- Departed
- DLG · Dillingham, AK
- Destination
- Manokatak, AK
- Equipment
- Handheld GPS
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
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- September 5, 2017
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 8,450 as pilot in command · 125 in the last 90 days · 75 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 40° at 11 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility
- 8 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,700 ft broken
- Temperature
- 37 °F, dew point 37 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.70 inHg
- Observed at
- PAMB, 18 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 28, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.1 MB 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.
Other investigations on N81818 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.