Piper PA-18 accident near Holy Cross, Alaska, May 16, 2002
On May 16, 2002 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-18, registered N82735, was substantially damaged in an accident near Holy Cross, Alaska. It was a public-use flight under public-use (government) rules. 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 selection of unsuitable terrain for landing. A factor in the accident was the presence of high vegetation (willows) along the right side of the landing area.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 16, 2002 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Holy Cross, 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
- N82735 · registry record · serial 18-7709183
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public-use flight · public-use (government) rules
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial certificated pilot, a Fish and Wildlife Protection Officer, was landing on the beach area of a lake, adjacent to a remote lodge. The pilot and passenger were concluding a cross-country public use flight to conduct a criminal investigation. During the landing roll, the right wingtip contacted willow bushes, pivoting the airplane to the right. The airplane received damage to the propeller, the tailwheel assembly, the rudder post, and a fuselage longeron.
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; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 5,285 hours in all; 3,500 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 5,250 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 4, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,889 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 25, 2002; 60 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: PANI Aniak AK at 5:30 pm
- Destination: Reindeer Lake AK
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.92 inHg
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 N82735 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.