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20250817013399A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Piper PA-18-150 · Skwentna, AK · August 17, 2025

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
August 17, 2025 · 16:58 local
Place
Skwentna, AK
Phase of flight
Takeoff: Departure Roll
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N4387Z
NTSB investigation
NTSBANC25LA090
Reported as
Piper PA-18-150
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificate
Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours
1,089 total856 in this make and model60 in the last 90 days

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Pilot stated that he was taking off from a remote airstrip.

Pilot taxied to the east end of the airstrip.

Pilot planned to take off to the west.

Pilot stated that the wind felt negligible coming from the west.

Pilot stated that there were a few bumps at the east end of the airstrip.

Pilot stated that he began his takeoff roll and everything felt normal.

Pilot stated that the tail of the aircraft lifted as it rolled over the bumps at east end of airstrip.

Pilot stated the aircraft became airborne as he applied flaps.

Pilot stated that the aircraft then descended and bounced on the airstrip.

Pilot stated that it appeared that he did not have enough speed to complete his takeoff so he decided to abort the takeoff.

Pilot stated that he pulled the throttle to idle and applied brakes while holding the stick back.

Pilot stated that he felt the tail come up and he released the brakes.

Pilot stated that the tail continued to rise and the aircraft flipped over.

Pilot stated that he shut down power and magnetos and got out of the aircraft.

As the FAA filed it

PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS TAKING OFF FROM A REMOTE AIRSTRIP.

PILOT TAXIED TO THE EAST END OF THE AIRSTRIP.

PILOT PLANNED TO TAKE OFF TO THE WEST.

PILOT STATED THAT THE WIND FELT NEGLIGIBLE COMING FROM THE WEST.

PILOT STATED THAT THERE WERE A FEW BUMPS AT THE EAST END OF THE AIRSTRIP.

PILOT STATED THAT HE BEGAN HIS TAKEOFF ROLL AND EVERYTHING FELT NORMAL.

PILOT STATED THAT THE TAIL OF THE AIRCRAFT LIFTED AS IT ROLLED OVER THE BUMPS AT EAST END OF AIRSTRIP.

PILOT STATED THE AIRCRAFT BECAME AIRBORNE AS HE APPLIED FLAPS.

PILOT STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT THEN DESCENDED AND BOUNCED ON THE AIRSTRIP.

PILOT STATED THAT IT APPEARED THAT HE DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH SPEED TO COMPLETE HIS TAKEOFF SO HE DECIDED TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF.

PILOT STATED THAT HE PULLED THE THROTTLE TO IDLE AND APPLIED BRAKES WHILE HOLDING THE STICK BACK.

PILOT STATED THAT HE FELT THE TAIL COME UP AND HE RELEASED THE BRAKES.

PILOT STATED THAT THE TAIL CONTINUED TO RISE AND THE AIRCRAFT FLIPPED OVER.

PILOT STATED THAT HE SHUT DOWN POWER AND MAGNETOS AND GOT OUT OF THE AIRCRAFT.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB ANC25LA090Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportWillow, AKThe pilot’s loss of control after a rejected takeoff, which resulted in a noseover.Aug 18, 2025 · Substantial damage