On 11 Jul 2012, a PIPER PA-18-150 was involved in an aviation accident near Tynoek, AK. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot failed to maintain enough airspeed during the initial climb following takeoff, leading to an aerodynamic stall. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
A Piper PA-18-150 crashed into terrain near Tyonek after encountering an updraft during takeoff from a mountain ridge.
What happened
On July 11, 2012, a Piper PA-18-150, registration N4272Z, was performing a takeoff from an off-airport location situated on a mountain ridge near Tyonek, Alaska. During the initial climb, an updraft caused the right wing of the aircraft to lift. This resulted in an aerodynamic stall. The pilot was unable to recover from the stall before the aircraft impacted the terrain. The impact caused substantial damage to the fuselage and the right wing. The pilot was not injured.
The investigation
During the investigation, the pilot reported that there were no mechanical anomalies present in the aircraft prior to the accident. Weather conditions at the time were reported as VMC with a visibility of 10 statute miles.
Probable cause
The pilot failed to maintain enough airspeed during the initial climb following takeoff, leading to an aerodynamic stall.