Piper PA18 N4138Z

Summary

On 10 October 2019 at about 21:45 local time, a Piper PA18 registered N4138Z, operated by Harris Hill Soaring Corp, was involved in an accident near Big Flats, New York, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

10 October 2019 at 21:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Big Flats, New York, United States

Coordinates

42.1172, -76.9183

Aircraft

Piper PA18

Registration

N4138Z

Category

Airplane

Year built

1964

Engines

1

Operator

Harris Hill Soaring Corp

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Ferry

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Big Flats → Elmira

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

GAA20CA008

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's improper flight planning and his subsequent failure to maintain clearance from wires during takeoff.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that, before takeoff from an off-airport grass field, he consulted his mentor on best practices to takeoff and avoid obstacles. During the takeoff roll, he realized that the planned flightpath was "risky," so he "made a ground track deviation." Subsequently, the left wing struck a guy wire and folded back, and the right wing struck another guy wire. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and both wings. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.