Piper PA18 N4165Z

Summary

On 15 August 2018 at about 22:00 local time, a Piper PA18 registered N4165Z was involved in an accident near Tyonek, Alaska, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

15 August 2018 at 22:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Tyonek, Alaska, United States

Coordinates

60.5889, -152.1619

Aircraft

Piper PA18

Registration

N4165Z

Category

Airplane

Year built

1965

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Soldotna → Soldotna

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

GAA18CA520

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during landing in gusting wind conditions.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

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.    

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.