Piper PA-18 accident near Slana, Alaska, September 17, 2004
On September 17, 2004 at about 2:00 am local time, a Piper PA-18, registered N82491, was substantially damaged in an accident near Slana, Alaska (Slana Homestead Strip airport). 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 wind conditions during landing, and his failure to maintain adequate airspeed, which resulted in a loss of control, and subsequent collision with trees during an uncontrolled descent. Factors contributing to the accident were gusty wind conditions and an inadvertent stall.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 17, 2004 · about 2:00 am local time
- Place
- Slana, Alaska · Slana Homestead Strip · 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
- N82491 · registry record · serial 18-7809180
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private certificated pilot was landing toward the northeast on an airstrip that was 2,000 feet long and 60 feet wide. The wind was from the northwest about 30 knots, with gusts to 45 knots. The pilot indicated that during the landing approach, the wind lifted the left wing of the airplane, and the right wing stalled. The airplane descended into trees short of the airstrip.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 936 hours in all; 930 in this make and model; 88 in the last 90 days; 35 in the last 30 days; 891 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 25, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,970 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 22, 2003; 130 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Tok AK at 7:30 pm
- Destination: Slana AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 045, 2,000 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 315° at 30 knots, gusting 45
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 50°F (10°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.