On October 1, 1994, a Cessna 180 (registration N2707X) operated by Hall, Wayne was involved in an aviation accident near Aniak, AK. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN PROPER RUNWAY ALIGNMENT DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL. A FACTOR ASSOCIATED WITH THE ACCIDENT WAS THE ROUGH/UNEVEN CONDITION OF THE RUNWAY'S SURFACE. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
During takeoff on a deteriorated airstrip, the left main landing gear slipped into a depression in the runway surface. The aircraft continued off the paved area and overran the end of the runway after striking vegetation.
What happened
The flight was departing an airstrip that was in poor condition. During the takeoff roll, the pilot reported that the left main landing gear slipped into a depression in the runway's surface. The airplane continued to slip off the runway until the left wheel struck willows growing on the runway's edge. The pilot stated it was too late to abort the takeoff and the airplane overran the end of the runway.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the condition of the airstrip and the sequence of events during the takeoff roll. The primary finding was that the poor condition of the runway surface contributed to the loss of directional control.
Findings
Contributing factors included the deteriorated state of the airstrip, which featured depressions in the surface. The left main gear's interaction with these irregularities caused the aircraft to veer off the paved area. The pilot determined that aborting the takeoff was no longer possible once the gear slipped.
Safety message
Pilots should exercise extreme caution when operating from airstrips with poor surface conditions, particularly during takeoff rolls where directional control is critical.