Piper PA-18 accident near Talkeetna, Alaska, July 2, 2002
On July 2, 2002 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-18, registered N1129A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Talkeetna, 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 inadequate weather evaluation, which resulted in a turbulence encounter and subsequent collision with a river embankment during maneuvering flight. A contributing factor was the presence of terrain induced turbulence.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 2, 2002 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Talkeetna, 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 · all PA-18s on the register
- Registration
- N1129A · registry record · serial 18-722
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private certificated pilot was searching for a lost hiker along a river drainage in a float-equipped airplane. The pilot said he was maneuvering between 500 to 1,000 feet above the ground and had encountered turbulence that was being produced in the canyons along the river. Just before the accident, the pilot said a strong gust of wind yawed the airplane sideways, and lifted the left wing. The airplane descended toward the ground. The pilot leveled the airplane just before the float assembly collided with alder bushes along the bank of the river. The airplane then did a cartwheel and came to rest facing opposite the initial direction of travel. The airplane received damage to the float assembly, fuselage, and wings.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,750 hours in all
- Last flight review: August 19, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,391 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 5, 2002; 76 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Talkeetna AK at 3:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 176° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,300 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from PATK, 15 miles away
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 N1129A 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.