Piper PA-18 accident near Chickaloon, Alaska, March 28, 2002
On March 28, 2002 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-18, registered N5408Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Chickaloon, Alaska (Eureka Skelton airport). It was an instructional 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 inadequate supervision of the student pilot by the instructor. Factors associated with the accident are the snow-covered runway and the loss of directional control by the student pilot.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 28, 2002 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Chickaloon, Alaska · Eureka Skelton · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18 · all PA-18s on the register
- Registration
- N5408Y · registry record · serial 18-8171
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During a student training flight, the instructor and student overflew the accident airport, looking for a suitable landing area. The runway was snow-covered in some areas, and plowed in others. Snow berms of varying heights were present adjacent to the runway, and there were patches of ice on the runway. After a smooth landing the student lost directional control on an icy portion of the runway. The instructor took control but was unable to arrest the skid and the airplane's left wing struck the windsock pole. After the impact with the pole, the airplane spun to the left, and the right elevator struck a snow berm.
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
Flight instructor
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 9,600 hours in all; 350 in this make and model; 115 in the last 90 days; 58 in the last 30 days; 9,300 as pilot in command; 5,000 on instruments
- Last flight review: February 20, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 69 hours in all; 63 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 30 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,858 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 4, 2002; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PAAQ Palmer Muni AK at 3:00 pm
- Destination: PAZK Skelton AK
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 21, 2,400 ft by 60 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 10°F (-12°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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 N5408Y 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.