# NTSB ANC25LA071: Piper PA-18-150, N3994Z, Willow, AK, June 3, 2025

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: June 3, 2025, 09:30 local (17:30 UTC)
- Place: Willow, AK
- Coordinates: 61.755474, -150.05266
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=61.7555&lon=-150.0527&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report April 2, 2026
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office
- Parties: FAA/FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 200508
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC25LA071
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/200508/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=200508
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC25LA071

## Probable cause

The flight instructor’s delayed remedial action/lack of supervision. Contributing to the accident was the pilot receiving instructions failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll in gusting wind conditions, which resulted in a ground loop.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Performance/control parameters: directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-18-150, 98 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md?model=7101828), [All aircraft, 3,958 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md)
- [Action: delayed action](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-18-150, 11 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025/cases.md?model=7101828), [All aircraft, 894 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025/cases.md)
- [Action: delayed action](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Instructor/check pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-18-150, 11 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025/cases.md?model=7101828), [All aircraft, 894 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025/cases.md)
- [Attention/monitoring: monitoring other person](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021535): Personnel issues › Psychological · Instructor/check pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-18-150, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021535/cases.md?model=7101828), [All aircraft, 200 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021535/cases.md)
- [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-18-150, 160 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=7101828), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md)
- [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Instructor/check pilot; cases with it: [Piper PA-18-150, 160 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=7101828), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md)
- [Wind: gusts](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-18-150, 34 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045/cases.md?model=7101828), [All aircraft, 1,199 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Landing-landing roll: Other weather encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400); cases with it: [Piper PA-18-150, 26 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400/sequence.md?model=7101828), [All aircraft, 1,127 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400/sequence.md)
- [Landing-landing roll: Attempted remediation/recovery](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060); cases with it: [Piper PA-18-150, 18 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md?model=7101828), [All aircraft, 1,422 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md)
- [Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-18-150, 109 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=7101828), [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The flight instructor, seated in the rear seat, stated that he and the pilot receiving instruction, seated in the front seat, were practicing landings in a tailwheel-equipped airplane. The purpose of the flight was for the pilot that was receiving instruction to obtain a tailwheel endorsement. During the landing rollout, gusting wind conditions lifted the left wing and the pilot receiving instruction applied right rudder, but the airplane continued to the right. The flight instructor then applied more right rudder; however, the airplane ground looped and sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The instructor pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. At the time of the accident, the pilot was landing on runway 13 with wind from 080° at 9 knots, gusting to 16 knots.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N3994Z](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N3994Z), registered now, S/N 18-7943, built 1963 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-18-150
- 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: 18-7943
- Year built: 1963
- Engines: LYCOMING O-320 SERIES 180 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Operator: Blue River Aviation
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Departed: AAQ, Palmer, AK
- Destination: Same as departure
- Airport: PAUO, Willow, runway 13, 4,400 × 75 ft, gravel
- Equipment: Electronic primary flight display, ADS-B, Stall warning system

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Flight instructor; age 42; injuries: none; airline transport, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine sea, single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review April 3, 2025; seat: rear; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 4,680 total, 1,000 in this make and model, 100 as pilot in command
- Pilot; age 21; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; seat: front; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 250 total

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 80° at 9 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 6,500 ft overcast
- Temperature: 48 °F, dew point 34 °F
- Altimeter: 29.93 inHg
- Observed at: AWS, 18 nm away
- METAR: PAWS 031656Z AUTO 08009G16KT 060V120 10SM SCT048 OVC065 09/01 A2993 RMK AO2 RAE56 SLP137 P0000 T00940006

## 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 20250603014129A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250603014129A), Jun 3, 2025: Piper PA-18-150, Willow, AK, Substantial damage. “On the date in question, I was providing a commercial pilot candidate with some tail wheel instruction in a company [privacy data omitted] PA-18. The first…

## Other investigations on N3994Z (2)

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 ANC24LA002](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC24LA002), Nov 4, 2023: Piper PA-18-150 (N3994Z), Wasilla, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The instructor pilot’s delayed action and over application of brakes which resulted in a nose-over.
- [NTSB UNK65X0834](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/UNK65X0834), Nov 25, 1964: Piper PA18 (N3994Z), Marfa, TX, substantial damage

## Docket (3 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 2, 2026, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=200508. 2.9 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 10 pages, 2.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19411426&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%206120%20form_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Flight instructor's statement (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 62 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19411436&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=MOR-%20Daniels-Rel.pdf
- Photos (item 3, PDF, 3 pages, 532 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19410479&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photos-Rel.pdf

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.

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