- Date
- August 31, 2024, 18:00 local (Sep 1, 2024, 02:00 UTC)
- Place
- Coal Creek, AK · Remote airstrip
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N4981YPiper PA-18-150
- Defining event
- Landing-aborted after touchdown: Ground collision
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- FAA
- Case key
- 195056
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll with a quartering tailwind.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that, while landing at a remote airstrip, the airplane touched down and was pushed left by a right rear quartering tailwind. The pilot attempted a go around procedure; however, the left wing impacted a tree and the airplane exited the left side of the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left and right wings. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4981Y
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18-150
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-7309021
- Built
- 1973
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- PAAQ · Palmer, AK
- Destination
- Same as departure
- Equipment
- Stall warning system
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 70
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- September 29, 2024
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 1,500 total · 1,500 in this make and model · 30 in the last 90 days · 15 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 56 °F
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 5, 2025, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 138 MB in all.