No fatalities

7 Aug 2011: PIPER PA-18-150 — Scenic Mountain Air Inc — Coldfoot, AK

Coldfoot, AK, United States

On 7 Aug 2011, a PIPER PA-18-150 operated by Scenic Mountain Air Inc was involved in an aviation accident near Coldfoot, AK. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's inadequate directional control of the airplane during takeoff. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s fatigue. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

An airplane departing from a small remote airstrip drifted right after lift-off, causing the right wing to contact brush. The aircraft spun right and flipped over, resulting in substantial damage to the empennage and wings.

Incident Overview

During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge, the operator of the airplane reported that the pilot was departing from a small, remote airstrip. Immediately after lifting off, the airplane unexpectedly drifted to the right. The right wing then made contact with brush located on the side of the airstrip, initiating a sequence where the aircraft spun to the right and subsequently flipped over.

Details from the Operator

The operator provided additional context, stating that the flight occurred at the end of the day. The operator further noted that the pilot was experiencing significant fatigue at the time of the incident. No other details regarding the pilot's condition or the specific circumstances leading to the drift were provided by the operator.

Damage Assessment

The accident resulted in substantial damage to the empennage and the wings of the airplane. The extent of damage to other components was not specified in the source. No information was given regarding injuries or the number of occupants on board.

Contributing factors

PilotDirectional control — Not attained/maintained