Piper PA-18 accident near Palmer, Alaska, August 7, 2004
On August 7, 2004 at about 4:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-18, registered N645RF, was substantially damaged in an accident near Palmer, Alaska. It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 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 misjudged distance/altitude during the final approach phase of landing, which resulted in an undershoot and subsequent collision with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 7, 2004 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Palmer, 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
- N645RF · registry record · serial 18-8711
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial certificated pilot was landing a tundra tire-equipped airplane on a remote airstrip. The airstrip was oriented north/south, and was about 500 feet long. The pilot said he was landing toward the south, and collided with the edge of the airstrip, which is also the bank of a creek. He indicated the landing gear was torn off, and the airplane came to rest on its belly-mounted auxiliary fuel tank. The engine and propeller were damaged when the airplane nosed down on the airstrip. After the airplane was recovered and inspected by a mechanic, the pilot notified the NTSB investigator-in-charge that the airplane received structural damage to the aft gusset of the right main landing gear attach point.
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: 20,000 hours in all; 15,000 in this make and model; 20,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 18, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,005 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 8, 2004; 33 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 4AK6 Palmer AK at 10:30 am
- Destination: Palmer AK
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°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.