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ANC20CA076

2020-08-04 · Wasilla, Alaska, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport IYS

Current FAA registration · N82566

Make / Model
PIPER PA-18-150
Year of manufacture
1978 · 42 years old at event
Engine
LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES (180 hp)
Seats / Engines
2 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19781013
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S AB46B7

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during takeoff in crosswind conditions, which resulted in a runway excursion and collision with trees.

Factual narrative

The pilot reported that he was departing an asphalt surfaced runway in his tundra tire and tailwheel-equipped airplane in crosswind conditions. During the departure roll, and just as the airplane began to lift off the airplane yawed to the left. In an effort to correct for they yaw, he applied right rudder. The right main tire contacted the runway's surface and the airplane veered to the right. He applied left rudder and brake to correct for the veer to no avail. The airplane continued a slow right turn exited the runway and impacted trees sustaining substantial damage to the left wing struts. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operations. In the recommendation section of the NTSB Accident/Incident Reporting Form 6120.1, the pilot stated that the accident may have been prevented if he had utilized a gravel surfaced runway. The pilot reported that he was departing an asphalt surfaced runway in his tundra tire and tailwheel-equipped airplane in crosswind conditions. During the departure roll, and just as the airplane began to lift off the airplane yawed to the left. In an effort to correct for they yaw, he applied right rudder. The right main tire contacted the runway's surface and the airplane veered to the right.  He applied left rudder and brake to correct for the veer to no avail. The airplane continued a slow right turn exited the runway and impacted trees sustaining substantial damage to the left wing struts. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operations. In the recommendation section of the NTSB Accident/Incident Reporting Form 6120.1, the pilot stated that the accident may have been prevented if he had utilized a gravel surfaced runway. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • C Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot - C
  • C Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Directional control-Not attained/maintained - C

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2020_ANC20CA076.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.

Related research

Matched on aircraft type or causal vocabulary (runway excursion). All research papers