- Date
- March 4, 2006, 12:00 local (20:00 UTC)
- Place
- Shady Cove, OR
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N1984APiper PA-18A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 30, 2006
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20060304002979A
- Case key
- 63308
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 installation of the control stick during maintenance, which resulted in the control stick becoming disconnected during the initial takeoff climb, resulting in a loss of control and in-flight collision with the ground.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
According to the pilot, during the takeoff initial climb, at about 40 feet agl, the control stick came out of its attach point. He reduced power, and the airplane descended and impacted terrain in approximately a 30 degree pitch down attitude. The pilot stated that the reason the control stick came out was that he had "improperly installed" it during preventative maintenance.
Factual narrative
On March 4, 2006, about 1200 Pacific standard time, a Piper PA-18A, N1984A, impacted terrain in an uncontrolled descent following a loss of control during the initial takeoff climb from runway 18 at Shady Cove Airport, Shady Cove, Oregon. The airplane sustained substantial damage, and the private pilot and the passenger were not injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the local personal flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
According to the pilot, at about 40 feet agl, the control stick came out of its attach point. He reduced power, and the airplane descended and impacted terrain in approximately a 30 degree pitch down attitude. The pilot stated that the reason the control stick came out was that he had "improperly installed" it during preventative maintenance.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1984A
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-1808
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-A2B, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- OG31 · Shady Cove, OR
- Destination
- OG31 · Shady Cove, OR
- Airport
- OG31 · Shady Cove, runway 18
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
- 68
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3
- Flight hours
- 1,800 total · 1,000 in this make and model · 30 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N1984A · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.