- Date
- May 25, 2019, 17:00 local (May 26, 2019, 01:00 UTC)
- Place
- Takotna, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N3EHCessna 180
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 13, 2020
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20190525005169A
- Case key
- 99495
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 the takeoff, which resulted in impact with vegetation.
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, about the time he started rotation, the airplane veered right, the right wing contacted some brush, and the airplane impacted vegetation. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. 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, about the time he was rotating, the airplane veered right, the right wing contacted some brush and the airplane impacted the vegetation. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The automated weather observation station located 13 miles south/east of the airstrip, reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was variable at 5 knots. The airplane was taking off runway 31.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3EH
- Reported as
- Cessna 180 (D)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18051020
- Built
- 1961
- Airframe hours
- 8,945.5
- Engine
- Continental O-470-R81B, 230 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · May 20, 2019
- Departed
- 8KA · Tatitna, AK
- Destination
- A77 · Takotna, AK
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
- Airport
- A77 · Yankee Creek 2, runway 31, 1,560 × 16 ft, grass/turf
- 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
- 44
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 20, 2018
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 6,900 total · 3,722 in this make and model · 6,900 as pilot in command · 90 in the last 90 days · 15 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 3,900 ft broken
- Temperature
- 55 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.61 inHg
- Observed at
- PATL, 13 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 18, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 977 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.