Piper PA-18A N4581A

Summary

On 31 August 2013 at about 04:24 local time, a Piper PA-18A registered N4581A, operated by Mueller Scott C, was involved in an accident near Nikolai, Alaska, United States. 2 people were on board and one died, one was seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

31 August 2013 at 04:24

Classification

Accident

Location

Nikolai, Alaska, United States

Nearest airport

Tatitna (8KA)

Coordinates

62.2925, -152.3533

Aircraft

Piper PA-18A

Registration

N4581A

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Mueller Scott C

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Tatitna → Big Lake

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC13FA091

1 person died.

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.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

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.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.