# Accident 20020613011529A: Piper PA18125, Fairbanks, AK, June 13, 2002 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: June 13, 2002, 08:25 local time - Place: Fairbanks, AK - Damage: No damage - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 64.8136° N, 147.8597° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=64.8136&lon=-147.8597&mi=10 - Aircraft: N1888A, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N1888A) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Piper PA-18-125 (registry code 7101812, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-18-125) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA18125 - Pilot certificates: Student - NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC02LA048](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC02LA048) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020613011529A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (.19) ON JUNE 13, 2002, ABOUT 0815 ALASKA DAYLIGHT TIME, A TUNDRA TIRE-EQUIPPED PIPER PA-18 AIRPLANE, N1888A, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING LANDING AT THE FAIRBANKS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, FAIRBANKS, ALASKA. THE AIRPLANE WAS BEING OPERATED AS A VISUAL FLIGHT RULES (VFR) LOCAL AREA INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE SOLO STUDENT PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT THE FAIRBANKS AIRPORT ABOUT 0800. DURING A TELEPHONE CONVERSATION WITH THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD (NTSB) INVESTIGATOR-IN-CHARGE (IIC), ON JUNE 13, A FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION (FAA) INSPECTOR, FAIRBANKS FLIGHT STANDARDS DISTRICT OFFICE (FSDO), REPORTED THAT THE STUDENT WAS LANDING ON RUNWAY 19L. THE STUDENT'S FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR WAS OBSERVING THE FLIGHT FROM THE GROUND. THE INSPECTOR SAID THE STUDENT MADE A THREE-POINT LANDING, BUT UPON TOUCHDOWN, THE AIRPLANE VEERED TO THE LEFT AS THE RIGHT WING AND RIGHT WHEEL CAME OFF THE GROUND. THE STUDENT APPLIED RIGHT AILERON, AND THE AIRPLANE SLAMMED DOWN ON THE RIGHT WHEEL. THE RIGHT WHEEL LANDING GEAR STRUT BUCKLED, AND THE RIGHT WING STRUCK THE GROUND. THE RIGHT WING WAS BENT UPWARD AT THE RIGHT WING LIFT STRUT ATTACH POINT. THE INSPECTOR REPORTED THAT DURING HIS CONVERSATION WITH THE STUDENT, THE PILOT SAID A FIVE KNOT CROSSWIND FROM THE EAST WAS PRESENT DURING THE LANDING. AT 0753, AN AVIATION ROUTINE WEATHER REPORT (METAR) AT FAIRBANKS WAS REPORTING, IN PART: WIND, 120 DEGREES (TRUE) AT 4 KNOTS; VISIBILITY, 10 STATUTE MILES; CLOUDS AND SKY CONDITION, FEW AT 6,000 FEET, 8,000 FEET BROKEN, 12,000 FEET OVERCAST; TEMPERATURE, 52 DEGREES F; DEW POINT, 48 DEGREES F; ALTIMETER, 30.28 INHG. (-23) ON JUNE 13, 2002 AT APPROXIMATELY 0825 ADT A PIPER PA-18-125, N1888A, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING A LANDING OPERATION A FAIRBANKS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT ON RUNWAY 91L. THE STUDENT PILOT WAS ON A SOLO FLIGHT WITH THE INSTRUCTOR, CHARLES L. GRAY OBSERVING FROM THE AIRFIELD. MR. GRAY HAD ACCOMPANIED HIS STUDENT ON THE FIRST LANDING. THE STUDENT PILOT HAD COMPLETED ONE OTHER SOLO LANDING PRIOR TO THE OCCURRENCE ON THIS DATE. HE WAS PRACTICING FULL STALL LANDINGS. THE STUDENT PILOT TOUCHED DOWN ON ALL THREE WHEELS AT APPROXIMATELY THE SECOND WHITE RUNWAY CENTERLINE MARKING FROM THE APPROACH END OF RUNWAY 19L. AFTER TOUCHDOWN THE AIRCRAFT STARTED TURNING LEFT. THE STUDENT PILOT PUSHED RIGHT RUDDER AND TAPPED THE RIGHT BRAKE BUT IT WAS INEFFECTIVE BECAUSE THE RIGHT WHEEL WAS OFF THE GROUND. HE APPLIED FULL RIGHT RUDDER. THE POWER WAS OFF. HE TOUCHED DOWN AT 55 M.P.H WITH THE CONTROL STICK CENTERED AND HELD FULL AFT. THERE WAS NO SIGNIFICANT WIND AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE BRAKES WERE CHECKED AND APPEARED TO BE FUNCTIONAL. ## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB ANC02LA048](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC02LA048), Jun 13, 2002: Piper PA-18 (N1888A), Fairbanks, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The student pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during the landing roll, which resulted in the right wing striking the ground. ## Other reports on N1888A (1) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Accident 20260530005839A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20260530005839A), May 30, 2026: Piper PA-18-125 (N1888A), Fairbanks, AK, Substantial damage. Landed on a riverbank. During rollout, left tire hit a depression in the sand, the pilot subsesqentialy lost control of the airplane which nosed over on the… From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.