Piper PA-18-160 accident near Chugiak, Alaska, July 5, 2004
On July 5, 2004 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-18-160, registered N8918Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Chugiak, Alaska (Birchwood airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's excessive use of the airplane's brakes during the landing roll, which resulted in the airplane nosing over. A factor contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to maintain directional control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 5, 2004 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Chugiak, Alaska · Birchwood · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-160 · all PA-18-160s on the register
- Registration
- N8918Y · registry record · serial 18-7409036
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The solo student pilot reported that he had been practicing touch-and-go landings on a gravel covered, 2,200 feet long runway. He said that after completing four successful touch-and-go landings, he elected to do a full stop landing. During the accident landing the roll, the airplane veered slightly to the left, and the pilot applied the brakes in an attempt to realign the airplane with the runway. The pilot reported that he inadvertently applied too much brake pressure as the airplane neared the end of the landing roll, and the airplane nosed over. He stated that there were no preaccident mechanical problems with the airplane. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings, fuselage, and empennage.
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: student
- Flight time: 45 hours in all; 40 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 18 in the last 30 days; 4 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,922 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 17, 2004; 35 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LHD Anchorage AK at 12:30 pm
- Destination: BCV Chugiak AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 01, 2,200 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,200 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 29.85 inHg
- Observation at 1:36 pm from PABV
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N8918Y the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ANC04LA073.