NTSB LAX86LA274 — 1986-06-30 · UKIAH, California, United States

Current FAA registration · N2406J

Make / Model: PIPER PA-18-150
Year of manufacture: 1979 · 7 years old at event
Engine: LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES (180 hp)
Seats / Engines: 2 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date: 19790425
ADS-B equipped: Yes — Mode-S A23332

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

N2406J Piper PA-18-150 None

Factual narrative

THE PIPER PA-18-150 ENCOUNTERED TURBULENT WIND CONDITIONS AND DRAGGED THE LEFT WING DURING A TAKEOFF GROUND RUN FROM RWY 33. THE PLT REPORTED THAT DURING THE TAKEOFF GROUND RUN, THE RIGHT WING LIFTED CAUSING THE LEFT WING TO DRAG ON THE RWY. THE AIRCRAFT THEN SWERVED TO THE LEFT AND DEPARTED THE RWY. THE FSS (LOCATED ON THE ARPT) REPORTED THAT AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, THE WINDS WERE FROM 260 DEG AT 7 KTS. SEVERAL 'DUST DEVILS' WERE OBSERVED IN THE AREA DURING THE DAY, BUT NONE WERE OBSERVED ON THE ARPT. THE PLT ALSO INDICATED THAT HE RECEIVED A WEATHER BRIEFING AND WAS AWARE OF THE REPORTED WEATHER PHENOMENA. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1986_LAX86LA274.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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