20260519006009A

On may 19, 2026, at approximately 0930 AKDT, a PA-18A-150 was substantially damaged upon landing at a remote hunting camp location near Iliamna alaksa. The flight departed from the hunting camp several minutes prior to the accident. The accident pilot and sole occupant of the aircraft stated that shortly after departing the hunting camp and during cruse climb, the aircraft encountered severe turbulence while transiting rising terrain. When the aircraft was at approximately 300 feet AGL, it abruptly rolled left and then back to the right. The aircraft departed the intended flight path with extreme right yaw and nose low pitch attitude. The pilot stated the aircraft was uncontrollable while attempting to recover from the rapid changes in pitch and roll. During this uncontrolled condition, the aircraft lost significant altitude to the point that the right landing gear tire contacted a rock pile on the surface. After contact with the rock pile, the pilot was able to partially regain control of the aircraft. A pilot of another aircraft in the area communicated to the accident pilot via radio that his right landing gear was severely damaged. The accident pilot stated the aircraft had a strong right yaw tendency that required significant left rudder input to correct. The pilot assessed the situation and elected to return to the hunting camp from which he had previously departed. Upon landing, the pilot was able to maintain control of the aircraft through most of the ground rollout on the left landing gear until it slowed enough that the bottom of the fuselage and right wing contacted the ground. The ground contact during landing resulted in substantial damaged to the bottom of the fuselage and both wing lift struts. There were no reported injuries.