Piper PA-18 N9071D

Summary

On 16 February 2005 at about 19:00 local time, a Piper PA-18 registered N9071D, operated by Jason A. Sturgis, was involved in an accident near Talkeetna, Alaska, United States. One person was 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

16 February 2005 at 19:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Talkeetna, Alaska, United States

Coordinates

62.4908, -149.7000

Aircraft

Piper PA-18

Registration

N9071D

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Jason A. Sturgis

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Talkeetna → Talkeetna

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC05LA036

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's selection of unsuitable terrain for takeoff, which resulted in ski assembly damage during the takeoff run from a frozen, snow-covered lake, and subsequent nose over during an emergency landing. Factors contributing to the accident were an overload failure of the ski tip retaining assembly, and a hidden obstruction on the surface of the lake.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The commercial certificated pilot was departing a snow-covered frozen lake in a ski-equipped airplane. The lake was covered by about one-and-a-half feet of snow. The pilot said the lake is about 1/4 mile long, and he was taking off toward the east. During the takeoff run, as the airplane was about to lift off, the left ski struck a bump, or unseen object of some kind in the snow. The left ski tip rotated downward, to a near vertical position, and the pilot indicated that the ski tip retaining cable and bungee were dangling loose. The pilot made an emergency landing on the lake, and during the touchdown, the tip of the left ski dug into the snow. The airplane nosed over and received substantial damage to the wings, fuselage, and empennage.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.