Piper PA-22-150 accident near Afton, Wyoming, May 17, 2024
On May 17, 2024 at about 2:38 am local time, a Piper PA-22-150, registered N9998D, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Afton, Wyoming (Afton Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The commercial pilot’s failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during takeoff. Contributing was the student pilot’s application of brakes during the takeoff roll and the failure of both pilots to maintain a positive transfer of controls.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 17, 2024 · about 2:38 am local time
- Place
- Afton, Wyoming · Afton Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22-150 · all PA-22-150s on the register
- Registration
- N9998D · registry record · serial 22-6791
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial pilot, seated in the right seat, and the student pilot and airplane owner, seated in the left seat, reported that the purpose of the flight was a local flight in the student pilot’s newly acquired airplane. Both pilots reported that they had just met for the first time just before the accident flight. The commercial pilot added that she was unaware that the airplane owner was only a student pilot. The student pilot reported that, during takeoff, the commercial pilot applied full power, the airplane lifted off the runway momentarily, settled back onto the runway surface, then subsequently lost directional control of the airplane. The airplane departed the right side of the runway, struck two fences, and nosed over which resulted in substantial damage to the wings and wing struts. The commercial pilot reported that, during takeoff roll, the student pilot was in control of the airplane. The commercial pilot stated that the student pilot held full power and brakes throughout the accident sequence. Review of photos taken at the accident site show witness marks on the runway surface, adjacent taxiway, and grass consistent with the application of brakes throughout the accident sequence. The brakes are only operable from the left seat in the accident airplane. The student pilot reported that, during a postaccident inspection of the airplane, he found that the elevator trim was set to the full nose-up position. The commercial pilot and the student pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during takeoff defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Communication (personnel) › CRM/MRM techniques › Flight crew
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 4,500 hours in all; 400 in this make and model; 75 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 48 hours in all; 0 in this make and model
- Last flight review: July 19, 2022
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,381.5 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 8, 2023; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 3,224 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 7,025 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 32°F (0°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Altimeter: 29.93 inHg
- Observation at 8:35 pm from AFO
Weather report (METAR): KAFO 170235Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR A2993 RMK AO2
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
8 documents, released by the NTSB on March 13, 2025. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 6 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot Written Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Pilot Memorandum for Record | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Student Pilot Written Statement | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Student Pilot Memorandum for Record | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Witness Statements | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 7 | Reports from Local Agencies - Police Report | PDF, 8 pages | View Download |
| 8 | Photos | PDF, 5 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ANC24LA035.