Skip to content

SEA07CA116

2007-04-29 · Astoria, Oregon, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport KAST

N1911V has since been reassigned. It is now registered to a different aircraft (PIPER PA-28-180, built 1974), which was not involved in this event.

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The student pilot's failure to adequately correct for changing wind conditions, leading to a loss of directional control during the takeoff ground roll. Factors include wet, soft terrain along the side of the runway.

Factual narrative

During the takeoff roll in a 30 degree crosswind of about 12 knots, the aircraft passed on the leeward side of a number of hangars of varying size. As the aircraft passed through the area where the wind was blocked by the individual hangars into areas where the wind was not blocked, the student pilot failed to adequately compensate for the resultant change in wind velocity and direction. As the student pilot continued the takeoff, the aircraft departed the side of the runway, impacted a taxiway exit sign, and entered into an area of wet, soft ground. The student pilot then pulled the power to idle and applied "full brakes." The nose gear then dug into the terrain and ultimately collapsed. There were no anomalies found in the rudder or nose wheel steering systems. During the takeoff roll in a 30 degree crosswind of about 12 knots, the aircraft passed on the leeward side of a number of hangars of varying size. As the aircraft passed through the area where the wind was blocked by the individual hangars into areas where the wind was not blocked, the student pilot failed to adequately compensate for the resultant change in wind velocity and direction. As the student pilot continued the takeoff, the aircraft departed the side of the runway, impacted a taxiway exit sign, and entered into an area of wet, soft ground. The student pilot then pulled the power to idle and applied "full brakes." The nose gear then dug into the terrain and ultimately collapsed. There were no anomalies found in the rudder or nose wheel steering systems. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2007_SEA07CA116.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.