NTSB ANC24LA090 — 2024-09-04 · Denali, Alaska, United States

Current FAA registration · N424RD

Make / Model: PIPER PA-18A 150
Engine: LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES (180 hp)
Seats / Engines: 1 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date: 19560806
ADS-B equipped: Yes — Mode-S A50BF6

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

N424RD Piper PA-18A 150 None

Probable cause & findings

Failure to maintain clearance from terrain due to the airplane’s encounter with windshear during takeoff.

Factual narrative

The pilot of a tailwheel equipped airplane reported he was attempting to depart from a remote 600ft-long airstrip. The pilot said just after the airplane lifted off the ground, it encountered windshear and did not gain sufficient altitude to clear rising terrain at the end of the airstrip. The airplane’s tailwheel impacted terrain, and the airplane veered to the left. Subsequently, the airplane impacted terrain again and came to rest upright. The right wing and fuselage sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

— Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot
— Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Wind-Downdraft-Effect on operation
— Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Climb rate-Not attained/maintained

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2024_ANC24LA090.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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