Piper PA-18-150 N89ZW

Summary

On 20 August 2021 at about 02:55 local time, a Piper PA-18-150 registered N89ZW was involved in an accident near Wasilla, 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

20 August 2021 at 02:55

Classification

Accident

Location

Wasilla, Alaska, United States

Nearest airport

Wolf Lake (4AK6)

Coordinates

61.6393, -149.2854

Aircraft

Piper PA-18-150

Registration

N89ZW

Category

Airplane

Year built

1975

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Sterling → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR21LA328

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s inability to maintain control of the airplane during taxi after it encountered the prop wash from a larger airplane that was conducting a high-power engine run on the same taxiway.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that, after landing he taxied back up the runway to the north. As he reached the end of the runway, and approached the most northerly taxiway, he had to maneuver around another airplane that was parked partially in the taxiway easement and on the runway. As he began to make a right turn onto the taxiway, the airplane was blown sideways about 15-20 ft as a result of the wind from the operating propellers (prop-wash) from a turbo-prop airplane performing a full engine run at a maintenance hangar. The pilot stated that his airplane was dropped onto its left wing and subsequently was spun to the south. Despite the pilot’s attempt of using full brakes to keep the airplane in place, the airplane slid backward and was temporary lifted airborne before it collided with the ground. As a result of the impact, the airplane sustained substantial damage to the left rear spar and aileron. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.