- Date
- March 30, 2018, 10:45 local (17:45 UTC)
- Place
- Dorris, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N101EBPiper PA18
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 5, 2018
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20180330011809A
- Case key
- 96963
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.
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, while circling over the destination airport, she observed the windsock in a "light [and] variable" state. She added that, after a touch-and-go landing, she added full power for takeoff and the airplane veered to the right, then back to the runway centerline, at which point the airplane became briefly airborne. The airplane landed back on the runway, veered off the runway to the left, impacted sage brush, and came to rest inverted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the rudder. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, while circling over the destination airport, she observed the windsock in a "light [and] variable" state. She added that, after a touch-and-go landing, she added full power for takeoff and the airplane veered to the right, then back to the runway centerline, at which point the airplane became briefly airborne. The airplane landed back on the runway, veered off the runway to the left, impacted sage brush, and came to rest inverted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the rudder. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N101EB
- Reported as
- Piper PA18 (150)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-7809028
- Built
- 1978
- Airframe hours
- 2,035.58
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-A2B, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 14, 2017
- Departed
- LMT · Klamath Falls, OR
- Destination
- A32 · Dorris, CA
- Airport
- A32 · Butte Valley, runway 16, 4,300 × 60 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
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 25, 2017
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 587 total · 20 in this make and model · 528 as pilot in command · 14 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 100° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 50 °F, dew point 34 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.21 inHg
- Observed at
- KLMT, 19 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 24, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.1 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.