Piper PA-18-150 accident near Gulkana, Alaska, August 5, 2002
On August 5, 2002 at about 2:00 am local time, a Piper PA-18-150, registered N4151Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Gulkana, Alaska (Gulkana airport). 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
A jammed flight control system yoke/stick, which made directional control of the airplane not possible, and resulted in an in-flight collision with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 5, 2002 · about 2:00 am local time
- Place
- Gulkana, Alaska · Gulkana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-150 · all PA-18-150s on the register
- Registration
- N4151Z · registry record · serial 18-8327
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot and passenger were on a personal cross country flight. The pilot was taking off on a gravel runway after completing a refueling stop. According to the pilot, during the initial climb, he rolled the airplane into a left turn, but when he tried to roll out of the turn, the control stick was jammed. The airplane continued in a descending left turn and impacted the ground. Postaccident inspection of the airplane by the pilot failed to disclose any flight control system mechanical anomalies.
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
- Flight time: 3,300 hours in all; 1,675 in this make and model; 43 in the last 90 days; 28 in the last 30 days; 3,300 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,285 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 2002; 61 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: PAGK Gulkana AK at 9:00 pm
- Destination: Z41 Lake Hood Strip AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 14, 2,100 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 4 knots
- Visibility: 19 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.94 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from PAGK
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.
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.