# Accident 20260611006059A: Piper PA-22-160, Russian Mission, AK, June 11, 2026

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 11, 2026, 14:00 local time
- Place: Russian Mission, AK
- Airport: Kako
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 61.8990° N, 161.4397° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=61.8990&lon=-161.4397&mi=10
- Aircraft: N8953D, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N8953D) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-22-160 (registry code 7102214, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-22-160) (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-22-160
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 1,061 total, 52 in this make and model, 6 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC26LA056](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC26LA056) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20260611006059A

## Narrative

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

ON JUNE 11, 2026, AT APPROXIMATELY 14:05 AKDT, A PIPER PA-22 AIRCRAFT OPERATED BY A COMMERCIAL CERTIFICATED PILOT WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT WHILE LANDING AT KAKO (9AK2) AIRSTRIP, RUSSIAN MISSION, AK. THE AIRCRAFT RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE LOWER AFT FUSELAGE, RUDDER AND HORIZONTAL STABILIZER. THE PILOT AND PASSENGER WERE NOT INJURED. THE ACCIDENT PILOT OBTAINED WEATHER INFORMATION FROM FAA FSS LOCATED 8 NAUTICAL MILES FROM THE ACCIDENT SITE THAT INDICATED MVFR CONDITIONS WITH WINDS LIGHT AND VARIABLE AND A FORECAST FOR CEILING CONDITIONS TO IMPROVE. THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT DEPARTED MCGRATH AIRPORT (MCG) WITH KAKO, AK, (9AK2) AS THE PLANNED DESTINATION. THE PILOT OVERFLEW THE AIRSTRIP AT 9AK2 AND OBSERVED THE WINDSOCK INDICATING CALM WIND CONDITIONS. TURNING LEFT DOWNWIND, THE PILOT OBSERVED TREE FOLIAGE MOVEMENT AT THE APPROACH END OF THE FIELD THAT INDICATED A LEFT CROSSWIND; HOWEVER, ON FINAL APPROACH, NO SIGNIFICANT LEFT CROSSWIND CORRECTION WAS NEEDED TO MAINTAIN ALIGNMENT WITH THE RUNWAY. WHILE ON SHORT FINAL APPROACH WITH FULL FLAPS AND ABOUT 20 FEET ABOVE THE SURFACE, THE AIRCRAFT ENCOUNTERED A 10 KNOT WIND SHEAR THAT CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO SINK. THE PILOT INCREASED PITCH TO ARREST THE SINK RATE. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED HARD ON THE SURFACE IN A SLIGHTLY TAIL LOW POSITION. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED STRAIGHT BUT BEGAN TO DRIFT TO THE RIGHT. THE PILOT APPLIED LEFT RUDDER AND LEFT BRAKE TO CORRECT THE DRIFT, BUT THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO THE RIGHT. THE AIRCRAFT ROTATED RIGHT AND STOPPED PERPENDICULAR TO THE RUNWAY WITH THE TAIL RESTING OFF THE EDGE OF THE RUNWAY. UPON EXITING THE AIRCRAFT, THE PILOT OBSERVED THE WIND HAD SHIFTED TO A TAILWIND OF APPROXIMATELY 10 KNOTS.

## 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 ANC26LA056](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC26LA056), Jun 11, 2026: Piper PA-22-160 (N8953D), Russian Mission, AK, substantial damage, investigation ongoing

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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