Piper PA-20 N7054K

Summary

On 6 March 2021 at about 21:55 local time, a Piper PA-20 registered N7054K was involved in an accident near Anchorage, Alaska, United States. 3 people were 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

6 March 2021 at 21:55

Classification

Accident

Location

Anchorage, Alaska, United States

Nearest airport

Merrill Fld (MRI)

Coordinates

61.2121, -149.8525

Aircraft

Piper PA-20

Registration

N7054K

Category

Airplane

Year built

1950

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC21LA021

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during takeoff in gusty tailwind conditions, which resulted in a runway excursion and nose down.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that, during takeoff in the tailwheel-equipped airplane, he had about a 3-knot tailwind. When the airplane was at about 40 mph indicated airspeed, he applied forward pressure to the control yoke, and as the tail lifted off the ground the airplane encountered a gust of wind. Subsequently, the airplane veered abruptly to the left, he overcorrected, and the airplane exited the left side of the runway and impacted a snow berm coming to rest nose down. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing and fuselage. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.