Plane Crash List

Piper PA-18 N3795Z

15 September 2003 · Iliamna, Alaska, United States · Minor injuries

Summary

On 15 September 2003 at about 01:00 local time, a Piper PA-18 registered N3795Z was involved in an accident near Iliamna, Alaska, United States. 2 people were on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

The record

Date
at 01:00
Classification
Accident
Location
Iliamna, Alaska, United States
Coordinates
59.6100, -155.8800
Aircraft
Piper PA-18
Registration
N3795Z
Category
Airplane
Engines
1
Operator
Not recorded
Operating rule
Part 91: General Aviation
Purpose of flight
Personal
Phase of flight
Not recorded
Route
Iliamna → Unknown
Aircraft damage
Substantial
Weather
VMC
Light
Day
NTSB number
ANC03LA115

People

1 person had minor injuries.

On board Died Serious Minor Uninjured
2 0 0 1 1

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane during the takeoff run, which resulted in the airplane nosing over in the water. Factors contributing to the accident were wind gusts, and the pilot's inadequate evaluation of the wind conditions.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airline transport certificated pilot was departing a small lake in a float-equipped airplane to reposition onto a larger lake in the area. He said that as he applied takeoff power, the left wing was immediately lifted by gusty winds. He applied left aileron, but the airplane continued to roll to the right. The right wing contacted the water and the airplane either nosed, or rolled, over. The pilot indicated that gusty wind conditions from the north may have been affected by a hill adjacent to the lake. The pilot said that prior to takeoff from the remote lake, he utilized a satellite phone to obtain weather information for his planned destination, and also for the area of departure. The pilot said he learned that the destination had gusty winds and turbulence. The closest weather reporting station, located 30 miles away, had winds of 13 knots from the north.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.

Other Piper PA-18 accidents

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
4 May 2003 Piper PA-18-150
N46773
Ashland, Maine, United States John McPhee Fatal 1
12 Jul 2003 Piper PA-18
N83272
Talkeetna, Alaska, United States - No injuries -
14 Jul 2003 Piper PA-18-150
N8991Y
Ely, Nevada, United States - No injuries -
14 Jun 2003 Piper PA-18
N82946
Silver City, Montana, United States David M. Hoon No injuries -
21 Mar 2003 Piper PA-18-135
N2474Z
Chandler, Arizona, United States Chandler Air Service, Inc. No injuries -
4 May 2003 Piper PA-18-150
N9834P
Ava, New York, United States - No injuries -

All 2,950 records for this type

Other accidents in this area

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
19 Mar 2003 Rockwell 500-S
N903AK
Chickaloon, Alaska, United States State of Alaska Division of Forestry No injuries -
13 Jun 2003 Williamson GLASTAR
N62849
Anchorage, Alaska, United States - No injuries -
11 Jul 2003 Cessna 206
N505SD
English Bay, Alaska, United States - Fatal 1
23 Aug 2003 Cloud-Wag Aero SPORTSMEN
N35CL
Noatak, Alaska, United States - No injuries -
14 Jul 2003 Cessna 401
N6296Q
Gustavus, Alaska, United States - Fatal 4
24 Aug 2003 De Havilland DHC-2
N513F
Kenai, Alaska, United States - No injuries -

All 170,864 records in United States