Piper PA-18 accident near King Salmon, Alaska, April 21, 2001
On April 21, 2001 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-18, registered N745, was substantially damaged in an accident near King Salmon, Alaska (King Salmon airport). It was a public-use 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
The pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions, and inadequate weather evaluation resulting in a loss of directional control during the landing roll. Factors in the accident were the presence of a quartering tailwind, and an inadvertent ground loop.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 21, 2001 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- King Salmon, Alaska · King Salmon · 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
- N745 · no longer on the register · serial 18-7709139
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial certificated pilot was landing on runway 29 at an airport which was an intermediate stop on a cross-country government flight. The wind conditions were reported to the pilot as 070 degrees at 6 knots. After touchdown, the airplane veered to the left. The pilot applied right rudder and right brake pressure, but the airplane continued to the left. The right wingtip and the right aileron struck the gravel-covered ground along the left side of the runway. The wingtip was bent upward slightly, and the trailing edge of the right aileron was buckled upward. The pilot decided the airplane was airworthy, and continued the flight to his final destination.
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: 2,676 hours in all; 1,000 in this make and model; 23 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 2,613 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 6, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,183 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 18, 2000; 37 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PACD Cold Bay AK at 1:10 pm
- Destination: PANC Anchorage AK
- Runway 29, 8,500 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.62 inHg
- Observation at 4:52 pm from PAKN
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 N745 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.