- Date
- August 1, 2018, 12:00 local (20:00 UTC)
- Place
- Fairbanks, AK
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N437CCCub Crafters CC18
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Miscellaneous/other
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 18, 2019
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- Department of Interior, FAA
- FAA report
- 20180801008599A
- Case key
- 98203
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 premature liftoff and subsequent settling of the airplane to the gravel airstrip.
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 he was conducting a public aerial observation flight. During takeoff from an off-airport gravel airstrip, the airplane became airborne quickly. He added that the airplane settled back on the airstrip in a tail-low attitude, but he continued the takeoff. He "did not feel or hear any objects strike or damage the aircraft," and due to adverse weather conditions, he continued the flight to an alternate airport without further incident instead of continuing the observation flight. Postaccident examination revealed leading edge damage and a hole in the left horizontal stabilizer. 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 he was conducting a public aerial observation flight, during takeoff from an off-airport gravel airstrip, the airplane became airborne quickly. He added that, the airplane settled back on the airstrip in a tail low attitude, but he continued the takeoff. He "did not feel or hear any objects strike or damage the aircraft", and, due to adverse weather conditions, the flight continued to the alternate airport without further incident. Postflight examination revealed leading edge damage and a hole in the left horizontal stabilizer. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N437CC
- Reported as
- Cub Crafters CC18 (180)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- CC18-0059
- Built
- 2012
- Airframe hours
- 838.5
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-C4P, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public aircraft - federal · Public use
- Operator
- Bureau of Land Management
- Registered owner
- U S Department Of The Interior
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 28, 2018
- Departed
- FAI · Fairbanks, AK
- Destination
- FAI · Fairbanks, AK
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
- Equipment
- Stall warning system, Satellite tracking 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
- 41
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- October 27, 2017
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 5-point
- Flight hours
- 3,130 total · 500 in this make and model · 3,080 as pilot in command · 150 in the last 90 days · 90 in the last 30 days · 6 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 11,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.67 inHg
- Observed at
- PACE, 50 nm away
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 23, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.5 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.