PIPER PA18

Full Narrative

On July 24, 2021, about 0715 central daylight time, a Piper PA-18-150 airplane, N83411, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Larimore, North Dakota. The pilot was seriously injured; the passenger was not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.

The pilot reported that the preflight inspection, run-up, and initial portion of the takeoff were normal; however, immediately after lifting off, the airplane began turning left and did not seem to be responding to his control inputs. He attempted to maintain control using opposite rudder and aileron, but the airplane continued to the left. The climb rate was deteriorating with the engine at full power, and he thought the airplane might aerodynamically stall. He recalled attempting to “pull back” as the airplane impacted the trees.

The airplane impacted trees about 100 yards southwest of the arrival threshold of runway 30 oriented on a southeast heading and came to rest in a nose-down attitude within the tree line. The airframe sustained damage to the fuselage and both wings. A postaccident examination confirmed flight control continuity with no evidence of a preimpact flight control anomaly.