ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 159810
This information is added by users of ASN. Neither ASN nor the Flight Safety Foundation are responsible for the completeness or correctness of this information.
If you feel this information is incomplete or incorrect, you can submit corrected information.
| Date: | Friday 30 August 2013 |
| Time: | 20:24 |
| Type: |  Piper PA-18A Super Cub |
| Owner/operator: | Private |
| Registration: | N4581A |
| MSN: | 18-4887 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1956 |
| Engine model: | Lycoming O-320 SERIES |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Near Tatitna Airport (8KA), Tatitna, AK -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Take off |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Tatitna, AK (8KA) |
| Big Lake, AK (BGQ) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
Before departure, caribou antlers were attached externally to the airplane’s left wing lift struts, the airplane’s main wing fuel tanks were refueled, the airplane was loaded with two butchered caribou and hunting gear, and the passenger’s rifle was strapped onto the right wing. The passenger reported that, after taking off toward the east, the pilot stated that he “should have taken off the other way.” A witness stated that the airplane departed downwind and began a shallow climb, followed by a gradual left turn, before descending into the trees just beyond the departure end of the runway.
No restricted airworthiness certificate had been issued by the Federal Aviation Administration authorizing external load operations. Further, the airplane’s estimated gross weight at the time of the accident was about 642 pounds over its approved maximum takeoff weight and its center of gravity was significantly beyond the aft-most limit. A postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. It is likely that the pilot took off downwind and inadvertently stalled the airplane at a low altitude due to the exceedance of its allowable weight and center of gravity limits and the effect of the external load (antlers) and was unable to recover.
Probable Cause: The pilot’s improper decision to load the airplane beyond its allowable takeoff weight and center of gravity limits, which resulted in a loss of control during the initial climb. Contributing to the accident was the external load and the downwind takeoff.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 01-Sep-2013 03:47 | Geno | Added |
| 01-Sep-2013 03:48 | Geno | Updated [Narrative] |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:28 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
| 29-Nov-2017 09:00 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Operator, Other fatalities, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:
| ASN Home | Send Correction / Feedback |
| FSF Home | Disclaimer | Copyright |
| Contact Us | Privacy Policy |
| Press / Media |
CONNECT WITH US:
©2024 Flight Safety Foundation