- Date
- October 10, 2019, 17:45 local (21:45 UTC)
- Place
- Big Flats, NY
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N4138ZPiper PA18
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Collision during takeoff/land
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 21, 2020
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20191010018949A
- Case key
- 100404
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 improper flight planning and his subsequent failure to maintain clearance from wires 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 reported that, before takeoff from an off-airport grass field, he consulted his mentor on best practices to takeoff and avoid obstacles. During the takeoff roll, he realized that the planned flightpath was "risky," so he "made a ground track deviation." Subsequently, the left wing struck a guy wire and folded back, and the right wing struck another guy wire. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and both wings. 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 reported that, prior to takeoff on an off-airport grass field, he consulted his mentor on best practices to takeoff and avoid obstacles. During the takeoff roll, he realized that the planned flight path was "risky", so he "made a ground track deviation." The left wing struck a guy wire, folded back, and the right wing struck another guy wire. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and both wings. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4138Z
- Reported as
- Piper PA18 (150)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-8210
- Built
- 1964
- Airframe hours
- 7,699.3
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-A4M, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Ferry · Part 91
- Operator
- Harris Hill Soaring Corp
- Registered owner
- Harris Hill Soaring Corp
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 12, 2019
- Departed
- Big Flats, NY
- Destination
- 4NY8 · Elmira, NY
- 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
- 57
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- August 30, 2019
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 697 total · 44 in this make and model · 519 as pilot in command · 37 in the last 90 days · 11 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 30° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 50 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.23 inHg
- Observed at
- KELM, 3 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 5, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 773 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.