On July 10, 1992, a Piper PA-18-150 (registration N3997Z) operated by Larry R. Bryant was involved in an aviation accident near Molly Creek, AK. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to achieve adequate climb performance during takeoff, which resulted in the aircraft striking brush and flipping over an embankment. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
During takeoff from an unimproved landing strip, the aircraft settled into brush at the east end and flipped over an embankment, coming to rest on its back.
What happened
The pilot reported that he had utilized this specific landing strip on at least twenty previous occasions without incident. On this particular flight, the approach and initial phase of the takeoff appeared normal and consistent with prior experiences. However, during the takeoff roll, the aircraft failed to gain sufficient altitude or distance.
Instead of climbing away, the aircraft settled directly into brush located at the east end of the strip. The force of the impact caused the aircraft to flip over the adjacent embankment. It came to a final rest in an inverted position on its back.
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to achieve adequate climb performance during takeoff, which resulted in the aircraft striking brush and flipping over an embankment.
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