Piper PA-18-160 accident near Kenai, Alaska, May 17, 2003
On May 17, 2003 at about 2:00 am local time, a Piper PA-18-160, registered N814JM, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kenai, 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 compensate for gusting wind conditions during the landing flare, which resulted in the airplane encountering brush, and nosing over. Factors contributing to the accident were high brush, and gusting winds.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 17, 2003 · about 2:00 am local time
- Place
- Kenai, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-160 · all PA-18-160s on the register
- Registration
- N814JM · registry record · serial 18-8608
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot said he was landing at his private airstrip, and the wind drifted the airplane to the right of the landing tracks. He said the brush to the side of the tracks had not been cut, and was higher than normal. He said when the airplane encountered the brush during the landing roll, it nosed over. The pilot said the airplane sustained damage to one wing, the lift struts, rudder, landing gear, and fuselage. He said the wind may have been gusting to as high as 20 knots.
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
- Flight time: 7,000 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 42 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 7,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 2, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,033 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 15, 2002; 136 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,760 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AK51 Port Alsworth AK at 7:30 pm
- Destination: Kenai AK
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- 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.
Other NTSB records under N814JM 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.