No fatalities

24 Aug 2013: PIPER PA-18A — Talkeetna, AK

Talkeetna, AK, United States

On 24 Aug 2013, a PIPER PA-18A was involved in an aviation accident near Talkeetna, AK. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during takeoff. 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

During takeoff in a tailwheel-equipped airplane, the pilot reported a left crosswind caused the aircraft to drift right, resulting in tree impact and structural damage to wings and fuselage.

Incident Overview

A pilot reported an accident during takeoff in a tailwheel-equipped airplane. The aircraft lifted off from the runway, but the left wing rose and the airplane began to drift to the right despite the pilot's control inputs. Subsequently, the airplane struck trees on the right side of the runway, causing structural damage to both wings and the fuselage.

Pilot Report

According to the pilot, a left crosswind of 10 to 15 knots was present at the time of takeoff. The pilot stated that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot's account attributes the drift to the crosswind conditions rather than any technical issue.

Aircraft Damage

The impact with trees resulted in structural damage to both wings and the fuselage of the tailwheel-equipped airplane. The extent of damage to other components was not specified in the available information.

Environmental Conditions

Wind conditions at the time of the incident were reported as a left crosswind with speeds between 10 and 15 knots. No other environmental factors such as visibility or precipitation were mentioned in the source.

Contributing factors

Directional control — Not attained/maintained