- Date
- August 20, 2018, 08:30 local (16:30 UTC)
- Place
- McGrath, AK
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N6727APiper PA18
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 18, 2019
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20180820011869A
- Case key
- 98139
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 a crosswind.
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 from a gravel, dirt airstrip, a "rogue crosswind gust of wind" pushed the airplane to the right. The airplane struck a "bump," became airborne, continued drifting right, and landed hard in a creek. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported that the prevailing wind was light and variable and not gusting. The airplane was departing to the south.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, during takeoff on a gravel, dirt airstrip, a "rogue crosswind gust of wind" pushed the airplane to the right. The airplane struck a "bump", became airborne, continued drifting right, and landed hard in a creek. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported that the prevailing wind was light and variable and not gusting. The airplane was departing to the south.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6727A
- Reported as
- Piper PA18 (150)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-8109031
- Built
- 1981
- Airframe hours
- 2,621
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-A2B, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 19, 2018
- Departed
- McGrath, AK
- Destination
- 0AA4 · Farewell, AK
- 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
- 72
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight engineer, Commercial, Flight instructor, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- December 8, 2017
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 21,618 total · 4,509 in this make and model · 16,853 as pilot in command · 81 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 360° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 10,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 54 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.03 inHg
- Observed at
- PAFW, 25 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 21, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 20.1 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.