Piper PA 18 N72842
25 June 2014 · Cantwell, Alaska, United States · No injuries
Summary
On 25 June 2014 at about 18:30 local time, a Piper PA 18 registered N72842, operated by Sluice Box Inc, was involved in an accident near Cantwell, 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.
The record
- Date
- at 18:30
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Cantwell, Alaska, United States
- Coordinates
- 63.3897, -146.9008
- Aircraft
- Piper PA 18
- Registration
- N72842
- Category
- Airplane
- Year built
- 1950
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Sluice Box Inc
- Operating rule
- Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Cantwell → Cantwell
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- ANC14CA047
People
Nobody was injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Probable cause
The pilot's encounter with a wind gust during takeoff from a short gravel bar, which resulted in the airplane settling after rotation and striking obstacles.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The pilot was taking off from a gravel bar in a tailwheel-equipped airplane with a load of light, bulky cargo items. The gravel bar was in a valley location surrounded by mountainous terrain. He said that the wind indicators along the strip favored the takeoff direction, which was the same direction he had used for landing earlier. He stated that all felt normal during the takeoff roll, but the airplane encountered "a gust from behind or above" upon rotation. The airplane subsequently settled back to the surface and struck brush near the end of strip, turned, and came to a stop across a small ditch. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing and the aft section of the fuselage. The pilot stated that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported that, right after the accident, he observed that the wind became very gusty to about 20 mph. He noted that the wind condition returned to light and variable in less than an hour.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Piper PA-18 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 Jan 2014 | Piper PA 18-150 | Willcox, Arizona, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 13 Sep 2014 | Piper PA 18-135 | Susitna, Alaska, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 13 Sep 2014 | Piper PA 18-150 | Aniak, Alaska, United States | Adams BOB L | No injuries | - |
| 27 Apr 2014 | Piper PA 18-150 | Woodbine, New Jersey, United States | High Exposure Inc | No injuries | - |
| 12 Feb 2014 | Piper PA 18-150 | Gordon, Nebraska, United States | Usda Aphis Wildlife Services | No injuries | - |
| 17 Sep 2014 | Piper PA 18-150 | Cantwell, Alaska, United States | Wilson, Alan W | No injuries | - |
All 2,950 records for this type
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 Jun 2014 | Cessna U206C | Chitina, Alaska, United States | Copper Valley Air Service | No injuries | - |
| 6 Sep 2014 | Cessna U206B | Gustavus, Alaska, United States | Fjord Flying Service | No injuries | - |
| 11 Jun 2014 | Airbus/Eurocopter AS 350 B3 | Anchorage, Alaska, United States | Can See Aviation LLC | No injuries | - |
| 22 Apr 2014 | Piper PA 18A 150 | Kenai, Alaska, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 6 Feb 2014 | Craig C Walls SNOWYRIVER SPECIAL | Wasilla, Alaska, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 7 Sep 2014 | Cessna 185 | Gakona, Alaska, United States | Copper Valley Air Service LLC | No injuries | - |