Piper PA18 N8987Y

Summary

On 2 June 2020 at about 04:20 local time, a Piper PA18 registered N8987Y was involved in an accident near Nikiski, Alaska, United States. 2 people were 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

2 June 2020 at 04:20

Classification

Accident

Location

Nikiski, Alaska, United States

Coordinates

60.9353, -151.9667

Aircraft

Piper PA18

Registration

N8987Y

Category

Airplane

Year built

1974

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Soldotna → Nikiski

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC20CA056

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing in gusting wind conditions, which resulted in a ground loop.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot was landing the tailwheel and tundra tire-equipped airplane on a remote unimproved airstrip. While on final approach and just before touchdown, a gust of wind pushed the airplane to the left. The left wing contacted alder brush and the airplane veered to the left and ground looped sustaining substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operations. In the recommendation section of the NTSB Accident/Incident Reporting Form 6120.1, the pilot stated that the accident may have been prevented if he had waited for a day without gusting wind conditions.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.