Piper PA-18-160 accident near Naknek, Alaska, October 2, 2000
On October 2, 2000 at about 3:00 am local time, a Piper PA-18-160, registered N59645, was substantially damaged in an accident near Naknek, Alaska. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's selection of an unsuitable takeoff area. Factors associated with the accident were wet and soft terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 2, 2000 · about 3:00 am local time
- Place
- Naknek, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-160 · all PA-18-160s on the register
- Registration
- N59645 · no longer on the register · serial 18-7809095
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The certificated commercial pilot started a southeasterly takeoff run on a 700 feet long airstrip. He added that the airplane's acceleration was slow due to wet, tundra-covered terrain. As the airplane neared the end of the airstrip, just before it became airborne, he turned the airplane to the left to avoid striking a truck parked at the end of the airstrip, and the left wing struck a cabin at the end of the airstrip. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and fuselage. The pilot said that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,900 hours in all; 1,100 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,767 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 20, 2000; 27 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 5NK Naknek AK at 8:50 pm
- Destination: 5NK Naknek AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15, 700 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 20 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 700 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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 N59645 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.