# NTSB ANC26LA046: Piper PA-18-125, N1888A, South Van Horn, AK, May 31, 2026

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Investigation open
- Date: May 30, 2026, 18:55 local (May 31, 2026, 02:55 UTC)
- Place: South Van Horn, AK
- Coordinates: 64.795732, -147.84243
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=64.7957&lon=-147.8424&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing: Nose over/nose down](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- Status: Investigation ongoing
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office
- Parties: FAA/FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 203100
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC26LA046
- Latest NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/203100/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC26LA046

## Sequence of events

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

- [Landing: Nose over/nose down](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-18-125, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md?model=7101812), [All aircraft, 2,287 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md)

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N1888A](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N1888A), registered now, S/N 18-1718, built 1952 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-18-125
- Registry model: [Piper PA-18-125](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-18-125) (registry code 7101812) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 18-1718
- Year built: 1952
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Operator: Alaska Tailwheel LLC
- Registered owner: Alaska Tailwheel LLC
- Departed: FAI, Fairbanks, AK
- Destination: Same as departure

## 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 20260530005839A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20260530005839A), May 30, 2026: Piper PA-18-125, Fairbanks, AK, Substantial damage. Landed on a riverbank. During rollout, left tire hit a depression in the sand, the pilot subsesqentialy lost control of the airplane which nosed over on the…

## Other investigations on N1888A (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 ANC02LA048](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC02LA048), Jun 13, 2002: Piper PA-18 (N1888A), Fairbanks, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The student pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during the landing roll, which resulted in the right wing striking the ground.

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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