Piper PA-18 accident near Seldovia, Alaska, April 29, 2000
On April 29, 2000 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-18, registered N4418Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Seldovia, Alaska (Seldovia airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane. A factor in the accident was an inadvertent ground swerve.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 29, 2000 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Seldovia, Alaska · Seldovia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18 · all PA-18s on the register
- Registration
- N4418Z · registry record · serial 18-8753
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial certificated pilot was landing a tundra tire equipped airplane on a gravel runway. The winds were light and variable. The pilot said that during the landing roll, just before the tailwheel touched the runway, a wind gust pushed the tail of the airplane to the right. A second gust of wind then pushed the tail to the left. The pilot said he was unable to fully control the direction of the airplane, and decided to add engine power and abort the landing. The airplane veered to the left and the left main wheel contacted the surface of a tidal slough. The right wing then struck the surface of the slough, and the airplane inverted in about five feet of water. Both occupants of the airplane exited the airplane from underwater. The airplane received damage to both wings and the propeller.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 875 hours in all; 271 in this make and model; 741 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,654 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 25, 2000; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PAMR Anchorage AK at 12:35 pm
- Destination: PASO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 1,845 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 6,500 ft
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 pm from PAS
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N4418Z the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.