Crash location | 60.475278°N, 151.041111°W |
Nearest city | Soldotna, AK
60.487778°N, 151.058333°W 1.0 miles away |
Tail number | N2892Z |
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Accident date | 14 Jun 2015 |
Aircraft type | Piper Pa 18A 150 |
Additional details: | None |
The pilot was departing from a gravel runway with a left gusting crosswind. Just after lifting off the ground, the pilot stated that the airplane rapidly turned 90 degrees to the right. The left main landing gear tire contacted the runway, and the airplane ground looped then nosed over, sustaining substantial damage to both wings and the empennage. The pilot stated that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
The pilot's loss of directional control during takeoff in gusty crosswind conditions.