# NTSB ANC04LA110: Piper PA-18, N82491, Slana, AK, September 17, 2004 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: September 16, 2004, 18:00 local (Sep 17, 2004, 02:00 UTC) - Place: Slana, AK - Coordinates: 62.683334, -143.866668 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=62.6833&lon=-143.8667&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report June 8, 2005 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - Parties: FAA-AL-ANC FSDO 03 - NTSB case key (mKey): 60152 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC04LA110 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/60152/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC04LA110 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to compensate for wind conditions during landing, and his failure to maintain adequate airspeed, which resulted in a loss of control, and subsequent collision with trees during an uncontrolled descent. Factors contributing to the accident were gusty wind conditions and an inadvertent stall. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - in flight, approach - vfr pattern - final approach - weather condition - gusts (contributing factor) - compensation for wind conditions - inadequate, pilot in command(cfi) (cause) - airspeed(vs) - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - stall - inadvertent, pilot in command - In flight collision with object, descent - uncontrolled - object - tree(s) ## Analysis The private certificated pilot was landing toward the northeast on an airstrip that was 2,000 feet long and 60 feet wide. The wind was from the northwest about 30 knots, with gusts to 45 knots. The pilot indicated that during the landing approach, the wind lifted the left wing of the airplane, and the right wing stalled. The airplane descended into trees short of the airstrip. ## Factual narrative On September 16, 2004, about 1800 Alaska daylight time, a tundra tire-equipped Piper PA-18 airplane, N82491, sustained substantial damage when it collided with trees during the landing approach to a private airstrip, about 4 miles east of Slana, Alaska. The airplane, registered to B and B Aircraft Ventures LLC, Ogden, Utah, was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) local area personal flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The airplane was operated by the pilot. The private certificated pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight originated from the Little Tok River, Tok, Alaska, about 1630. No flight plan was filed, nor was one required. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), on September 17, the pilot reported that he was returning to the Slana Homestead Strip from a hunting trip. The pilot indicated that the dirt surface airstrip is about 2,000 feet long and 60 wide, and is oriented northeast/southwest. He said he was landing toward the northeast, and the wind was from the northwest about 30 knots, with gusts to 45 knots. He indicated that due to the crosswind, the left wing of the airplane was lifted, and the right wing of the airplane stalled. The airplane descended into trees short of the airstrip. The pilot said the airplane received extensive damage to the wings, fuselage, and engine. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N82491](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N82491), registered now, S/N 18-7809180, built 1976 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA-18 - Registry model: [Piper PA-18-150](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-18-150) (registry code 7101828) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 18-7809180 - Airframe hours: 1970 - Engines: Lycoming O-320-A2B 150 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: William Burwell - Registered owner: B & B Aircraft Ventures LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, December 22, 2003, 130 hours before - Departed: Tok, AK - Destination: Slana, AK - Airport: Slana Homestead Strip, runway 045, 2,000 × 60 ft, dirt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 54; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review March 25, 2004; seat: front; flight hours: 936 total, 930 in this make and model, 891 as pilot in command, 88 in the last 90 days, 35 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 315° at 30 knots, gusting 45 - Visibility: 20 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 50 °F ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20040916024279A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040916024279A), Sep 16, 2004: Piper PA18150, Slana, AK, Substantial damage. (-23) Pilot was on approach to unimproved strip when, just short of touchdown, a gust of wind hit the aircraft and the pilot was unable to control the landing… 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. --- 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.