Piper PA-18 accident near Anaktuvuk Pass, Alaska, August 6, 2001
On August 6, 2001 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-18, registered N4167Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Anaktuvuk Pass, Alaska. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A failure of the landing gear strut assembly due to corrosion. A factor in the accident was the pilot's inadequate maintenance of the airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 6, 2001 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Anaktuvuk Pass, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18 · all PA-18s on the register
- Registration
- N4167Z · registry record · serial 18-8349
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial certificated pilot was landing at a remote airstrip. When the airplane touched down, the right main landing gear strut collapsed. The propeller struck the ground, and the leading edge of the right wing struck a large rock. The pilot activated the airplane's emergency locator transmitter, and a search and rescue helicopter picked up the pilot. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed extensive corrosion of the landing gear strut.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,680 hours in all; 4,110 in this make and model; 22 in the last 90 days; 22 in the last 30 days; 4,668 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 30, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,520 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 29, 2001; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PAKP Anaktuvuk Pass AK at 4:45 pm
- Destination: Anaktuvuk Pass AK
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 154° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 4,600 ft; scat at 3,400 ft
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.84 inHg
- Observation at 4:55 pm from PAKP, 35 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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 N4167Z 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.