Piper PA-18-150 N3802Z

Summary

On 21 September 2012 at about 17:30 local time, a Piper PA-18-150 registered N3802Z, operated by Alsworth Anthony R, was involved in an accident near Port Alsworth, 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

21 September 2012 at 17:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Port Alsworth, Alaska, United States

Coordinates

60.1386, -154.3689

Aircraft

Piper PA-18-150

Registration

N3802Z

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Alsworth Anthony R

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Port Alsworth → Port Alsworth

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC12CA110

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's loss of directional control during takeoff in gusting wind conditions from an off-airport site, which resulted in a collision with terrain and a nose over.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot was departing from a mountain ridgeline in gusting wind conditions. He said that he started the takeoff in what he estimated was a 5- to 10-knot headwind. At liftoff, a gust of wind raised the right wing, and the left wing struck the ground, which pivoted the airplane to the left. The airplane then continued over the ridgeline, traveled downhill, nosed over, and came to rest inverted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and the fuselage. There were no reported preaccident mechanical problems with the airplane that would have precluded normal operations.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.