Piper PA-18 N7472D

Summary

On 6 September 2004 at about 22:00 local time, a Piper PA-18 registered N7472D was involved in an accident near Healy, Alaska, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

6 September 2004 at 22:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Healy, Alaska, United States

Coordinates

63.8444, -148.2875

Aircraft

Piper PA-18

Registration

N7472D

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Healy → Healy

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC04CA105

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions, and failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during the takeoff roll, which resulted in a collision with vegetation and a nose over. A factor contributing to the accident was a tailwind.

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 from a tundra/gravel covered area along a creek. He described the takeoff area as 20 feet wide, by 300 feet long, with a dogleg turn to the left, and an additional takeoff area of 600 feet. The entire takeoff area slopes downhill. The pilot said he was departing toward the north, with a 6 to 10 knot tailwind. He said about 100 feet past the dogleg turn to the left, the tailwind pushed the tail of the airplane to the right. The nose of the airplane veered to the left, collided with willow bushes, and nosed over. The airplane received damage to the right wing lift struts, the rudder, and the right elevator.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.