Fairbanks, AK, USA
N1907A
Piper PA-18
The private certificated pilot was departing to the north, and downhill, from a one-way landing area, about 2,000 feet msl. The area, oriented north/south, was about 400 feet long, and about 15 feet wide. The pilot indicated that he began the takeoff roll with one notch of flaps selected. The airplane lifted off and climbed to about 40 feet agl. He reported that due to what he believed to be a tailwind, the tail of the airplane felt as if it was pushed downward, raising the nose of the airplane. He lowered the nose to prevent a stall, and began raising the flaps. The airplane collided with spruce trees about 200 yards from the takeoff area, and received damage to the landing gear, stabilizer, both wings and wing lift struts.
On September 6, 2005, about 1200 Alaska daylight time, a tundra tire-equipped Piper PA-18 airplane, N1907A, sustained substantial damage when it collided with trees during takeoff initial climb from a remote area, about 45 miles south-southeast of Fairbanks, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) local area personal flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The airplane was operated by the pilot. The private certificated pilot, and the sole passenger, were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. No flight plan was filed, nor was one required. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), on September 6, the pilot's mechanic reported that the airplane had crashed, and the pilot was remaining in the field until the airplane was recovered. On September 13, the pilot telephoned the NTSB IIC, and reported that he was departing to the north, and downhill, from a one-way landing area, about 2,000 feet msl. The area, oriented north/south, was about 400 feet long, and about 15 feet wide. He said that after the engine run-up, he began the takeoff roll with one notch of flaps selected. The airplane lifted off and climbed to about 40 feet agl, with the engine rpm indicating about 2,700. The pilot reported that due to what he believed to be a tailwind, the tail of the airplane felt as if it was pushed downward, raising the nose of the airplane. He lowered the nose to prevent a stall, and began raising the flaps. The airplane collided with spruce trees about 200 yards from the takeoff area, and received damage to the landing gear, stabilizer, both wings and wing lift struts.
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed during takeoff initial climb, which resulted in an inadvertent stall/mush, and subsequent in-flight collision with trees. A factor contributing to the accident was a tailwind.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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