N7763K – PIPER PA-20 – 2011-08-18 NTSB Accident Report

On August 18, 2011, a Piper PA-20 (N7763K) was involved in an incident near Tyonek, AK. All 2 people aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.

The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: The student pilot’s decision to take off toward a hill with a gusting tailwind. Contributing was the pilot's premature rotation that prevented the airplane from climbing over the hill.

The student pilot, with one passenger, reported he was departing from a remote off-airport site, downhill, and with a light and variable tailwind. Just after takeoff, he said that a tailwind gust kept the airplane from climbing, and the main landing gear wheels struck a hill at the departure end of the site. The airplane subsequently nosed over, sustaining substantial damage to the wings, fuselage, and empennage. The student pilot reported no preaccident mechanical problems with the airplane.

This incident is documented in NTSB report ANC11CA082. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N7763K.