- Date
- April 11, 2010, 11:00 local (18:00 UTC)
- Place
- Taft, CA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N2887PPiper PA-18-150
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 12, 2010
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20100411031239A
- Case key
- 75740
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 loss of control during takeoff upon encountering a strong wind gust.
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
During takeoff from runway 07, as the pilot was becoming airborne, he encountered a strong southeasterly gust of wind. The pilot stated that despite his efforts at maintaining control, the gust was so strong that the right wing lifted up, and the airplane rolled over. At the time, the engine was already developing full power and the pilot's application of full flight control corrective actions was inadequate to counter the gust of wind during this critical phase of flight. The airplane, which became uncontrollable, came to rest upside down with broken wings and a crushed vertical stabilizer. The airport manager witnessed the mishap and corroborated the pilot's statements regarding the wind. The manager estimated the wind's speed was between 25 and 35 mph.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported to the National Transportation Safety Board investigator that during takeoff from runway 07, as he was becoming airborne, he encountered a strong southeasterly gust of wind. The pilot stated that despite his efforts at maintaining control, the gust was so strong that the right wing lifted up, and the airplane rolled over. At the time, the engine was already developing full power, and his application of full flight control corrective actions was inadequate to counter the gust of wind during this critical phase of flight. The airplane, which became uncontrollable, came to rest upside down with broken wings and a crushed vertical stabilizer. The airport manager witnessed the mishap and corroborated the pilot's statements regarding the wind. The manager estimated the wind's speed was between 25 and 35 mph. The pilot indicated that he was familiar with the airplane's flight characteristics. He had given about 915 hours of flight instruction to students in this airplane, and had flown it 30 hours during the preceding 90 days.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2887P
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18-150
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-4485
- Airframe hours
- 2,480
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-A2B, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Rapid River Aviation, LLC
- Registered owner
- Rapid River Aviation, LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 24, 2009 · 44 hours before
- Departed
- L17 · Taft, CA
- Destination
- BFL · Bakersfield, CA
- Airport
- L17 · Taft-Kern County, runway 07, 3,550 × 60 ft, asphalt
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
- 42
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificates
- 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
- August 22, 2008
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 3,600 total · 1,250 in this make and model · 3,475 as pilot in command · 120 in the last 90 days · 45 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 170° at 12 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.90 inHg
- Observed at
- BFL, 29 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 11, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.