Skip to content

ANC14CA037

2014-06-04 · Fairbanks, Alaska, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport 9AK

Current FAA registration · N3442D

Make / Model
CESSNA 170B
Year of manufacture
1955 · 59 years old at event
Engine
CONT MOTOR 0-300 SER (145 hp)
Seats / Engines
4 seats · 1 engine
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A3CECC

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The airplane's encounter with a tailwind during takeoff from a short, narrow airstrip, which resulted in a loss of lift and collision with brush and small trees.

Factual narrative

The pilot said that he was departing in his airplane from the downhill-sloping (east) runway at 9AK with a slight tailwind. He said that, as the airplane tried to become airborne, the tailwind increased considerably, and the airplane would not climb. The airplane struck brush that encroached the east end of the runway area and veered left into brush and small trees. He stated that no mechanical failures or malfunction of the airplane precluded normal operation. Damage included the separation of the right outboard elevator. (Note: Photographs of the airstrip provided by the pilot showed that 9AK was a short, narrow, rough-surfaced airstrip with brush growth encroachment.) The pilot said that he was departing in his airplane from the downhill-sloping (east) runway at 9AK with a slight tailwind. He said that, as the airplane tried to become airborne, the tailwind increased considerably, and the airplane would not climb. The airplane struck brush that encroached the east end of the runway area and veered left into brush and small trees. He stated that no mechanical failures or malfunctions of the airplane precluded normal operation. Damage included the separation of the right outboard elevator. Photographs of the airstrip provided by the pilot showed that 9AK was a short, narrow, rough-surfaced airstrip with brush growth encroachment. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • C Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Climb rate-Not attained/maintained - C
  • C Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Wind-Tailwind-Effect on operation - C
  • — Environmental issues-Operating environment-Airport facilities/design-Runway/landing area length-Effect on operation
  • — Environmental issues-Operating environment-Airport facilities/design-Runway/landing area condition-Effect on operation
  • — Environmental issues-Physical environment-Object/animal/substance-Tree(s)-Contributed to outcome

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2014_ANC14CA037.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

Search this event elsewhere

External sources are reported, not agency: signal that something happened, not fact about what happened.