Piper PA-18 accident near Chickaloon, Alaska, August 24, 2002
On August 24, 2002 at about 4:00 am local time, a Piper PA-18, registered N7489D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Chickaloon, Alaska. It was a personal 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 failure to maintain clearance from ground obstructions while taxiing. A factor contributing to the accident was excessive taxi speed.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 24, 2002 · about 4:00 am local time
- Place
- Chickaloon, 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
- N7489D · registry record · serial 5828
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he had landed on a creek bed, and unloaded the passenger and supplies. He said he was taxiing for takeoff en route to retrieve another load of supplies, when his right wing struck a tree. He said the airplane spun sharply to the right, the left main landing gear collapsed, and the left wing struck the ground. The pilot said he was probably taxiing too fast for the terrain conditions, and he had a tailwind. The left wing spar and landing gear of the airplane were damaged.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,184 hours in all; 196 in this make and model; 92 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 1,184 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 25, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,812 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 26, 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: Chicaloon AK
- Destination: PAAQ Palmer AK
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,000 ft; a few clouds at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.79 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 pm from PAAQ, 20 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.
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.