Piper PA-18-150 accident near Chenega Bay, Alaska, December 1, 2002
On December 1, 2002 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-18-150, registered N7002Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Chenega Bay, 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 selection of unsuitable terrain for landing and his failure to maintain obstacle clearance which resulted in the airplane colliding with a tree and a berm.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 1, 2002 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Chenega Bay, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-150 · all PA-18-150s on the register
- Registration
- N7002Z · registry record · serial 18-1881
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot said the airplane was parked on a remote beach on an Island. He noticed an approaching storm, and decided to reposition the airplane on a logging road away from the beach. During the landing roll on the logging road, the right wing struck a tree, and as the airplane turned sharply to the right, the left main landing gear struck a berm and collapsed, allowing the left wing to impact the ground. The airplane sustained damage to both wings, the left landing gear and propeller.
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: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot, flight engineer, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,130 hours in all; 480 in this make and model; 240 in the last 90 days; 80 in the last 30 days; 2,080 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 13, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,838 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 26, 2002; 14 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-C2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: San Juan Bay AK at 3:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 135° at 5 knots, gusting 10
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.