- Date
- July 25, 2013, 12:00 local (18:00 UTC)
- Place
- Challis, ID
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N4249ZPiper PA-18
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 12, 2013
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20130725025619A
- Case key
- 87579
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 roll.
Findings · 2
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 during the takeoff roll to the south he became distracted by a helicopter operation at the south end of the airport. It was about this time that he noticed the airplane yaw, which he over corrected for. The airplane subsequently departed the right side of the runway, then swerved back to the left. The right wing and right elevator impacted the ground and were substantially damaged. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that during the takeoff roll to the south he became distracted by a helicopter operation at the south end of the airport. It was about this time that he noticed the airplane yaw, which he over corrected for. The airplane subsequently departed the right side of the runway, then swerved back to the left. The right wing and right elevator impacted the ground and were substantially damaged. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4249Z
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18 (150)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-8478
- Airframe hours
- 7,670
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Frank O Blomquist
- Registered owner
- Frank O Blomquist
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 1, 2013 · 9 hours before
- Departed
- TVY · Erda, UT
- Destination
- 1U1 · Moose Creek, ID
- Airport
- LLJ · Challis Airport, runway 16, 4,600 × 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
- 67
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 16, 2013
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 1,283 total · 783 in this make and model · 1,283 as pilot in command · 5 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 40° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 34 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.19 inHg
- Observed at
- LLJ
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 28, 2013, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.9 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.
Other investigations on N4249Z · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.