# Accident 20180913013489A: Piper PA-18-150, Drift River, AK, September 13, 2018

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 13, 2018, 10:00 local time
- Place: Drift River, AK
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 60.9408° N, 151.9606° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=60.9408&lon=-151.9606&mi=10
- Aircraft: N7184B, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N7184B) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-18-150 (registry code 7101828, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-18-150) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-18-150
- Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 1,025 total, 750 in this make and model, 38 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB GAA18CA558](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA18CA558) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20180913013489A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT WAS FROM THE PILOTS NTSB REPORT.

I CHECKED ATIS AND DEPARTED KENAI AIRPORT 9/13/2018, AT 10:40 A.M. WITH FULL FUEL.  WEATHER WAS CLEAR.  CROSSED COOK INLET AT 4500 FEET AND FLEW DIRECT TO UNIMPROVED STRIP ON THE KUSTATAN RIVER APPROXIMATELY 35 MILES WEST OF KENAI. ARRIVED APPROXIMATELY 11:10 AM.  WEATHER CLEAR, WIND CALM.  I HAD LANDED AT THE STRIP EARLIER, ON 9/9/2018, AND DETERMINED THAT IT WAS ROUGH AND BRUSHY.  I INTENDED TO SET UP A MOOSE HUNTING CAMP THERE, SO THE PURPOSE OF THE TRIP WAS TO CLEAR THE STRIP BY REMOVING SOME YOUNG TREES AND BRUSH THAT PREVENTED A FULLER UTILIZATION OF THE STRIP AND TO SET UP A TENT.  I HAD NO PASSENGERS.  MY LOAD CONSISTED OF A CHAIN SAW, CHAIN SAW FUEL, FIREARM AND MISC. CAMPING GEAR.

I SET UP THE LANDING WITH A RELATIVELY STEEP DESCENT AND FULL FLAPS.  I LANDED HARD AND BOUNCED.  THE PLANE ANGLED SLIGHTLY TO THE LEFT OF CENTER AND THEN CONTINUED TO PULL LEFT ON ROLL-OUT, CAUSED, I BELIEVE BY THE UNEVEN SURFACE AND MY FAILURE TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE CONTROL INPUTS TO CORRECT THE DRIFT.  THE LEFT WING IMPACTED A SMALL TREE CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO PIVOT INTO AN ADJACENT TREE, STOPPING THE AIRCRAFT AND FURTHER DAMAGING THE WING.  THE PROPELLER ALSO RECEIVED DAMAGE.  THE ENGINE WAS STILL RUNNING AFTER THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST. I ESTIMATE THE DISTANCE FROM TOUCHDOWN TO IMPACT TO BE APPROXIMATELY 300 FEET.

## 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 GAA18CA558](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA18CA558), Sep 13, 2018: Piper PA18 (N7184B), Kenai, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard, bounced landing and subsequent loss of directional control on an unimproved airstrip.

## Other reports on N7184B (2)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Accident 20190827019119A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20190827019119A), Aug 27, 2019: Piper PA-18-150 (N7184B), Kenai, AK, Substantial damage. The pilot departed Kenai airport at 22:53Z with approximately 20 gallons of fuel and a light load consisting of: a tent, sleeping bag, two firearms and…
- [Accident 20160827022929A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20160827022929A), Aug 27, 2016: Piper PA-18-150 (N7184B), Kenai, AK, Substantial damage. Landing area was wet and vegetated, wheels dug in and caused aircraft to nose over, resulting in aircraft settling upside down.

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.

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