- Date
- August 15, 2018, 14:00 local (22:00 UTC)
- Place
- Tyonek, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N4165ZPiper PA18
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 10, 2019
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20180815014269A
- Case key
- 98202
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 landing in gusting wind conditions.
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 in the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, before landing on the narrow, gravel airstrip, the airplane encountered a wind gust from the right that "pushed me to the left a few feet." The airplane's left wing contacted brush on the left side of the airstrip, and the airplane then exited the left side of the airstrip. The airplane descended into a 2-ft-deep ditch and stopped. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing spar. The pilot reported that the wind conditions were variable and gusting to 8 knots, that the skies were clear, and that the visibility exceeded 10 miles. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot in the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that prior to landing on the narrow, gravel surface airstrip, the airplane encountered a gust of wind from the right that "pushed me to the left a few feet." The airplane's left wing contacted the brush on the left side of the airstrip and the airplane exited the left side of the runway. The airplane descended a 2-foot ditch and stopped. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing spar. The pilot reported that the wind condition was variable and gusting to 8 knots. Additionally, he reported that the skies were clear, and that the visibility exceeded 10 miles. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4165Z
- Reported as
- Piper PA18 (150)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-8346
- Built
- 1965
- Airframe hours
- 16,170
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 3, 2018
- Departed
- PASX · Soldotna, AK
- Destination
- PASX · Soldotna, AK
- Equipment
- Electronic flight bag or handheld device
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 33
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- January 20, 2018
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 149.8 total · 64.8 in this make and model · 117 as pilot in command · 36.4 in the last 90 days · 12.1 in the last 30 days · 1.7 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 59 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.94 inHg
- Observed at
- PALV, 14 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 17, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.5 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.