Piper PA-18 accident near Bethel, Alaska, April 4, 2005
On April 4, 2005 at about 1:00 am local time, a Piper PA-18, registered N9091D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bethel, Alaska (Bethel 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to compensate for a crosswind during an aborted landing, which resulted in a loss of directional control. A factor associated with the accident was a crosswind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 4, 2005 · about 1:00 am local time
- Place
- Bethel, Alaska · Bethel · 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
- N9091D · registry record · serial 18-6469
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot reported he was landing the tailwheel-equipped airplane on runway 36, which required a correction for a left crosswind. During the landing touchdown, the airplane bounced slightly and settled onto the right main tire. He said he attempted to abort the landing, but the airplane went off the runway, and ground looped to the right. The airplane sustained structural damage to the wings, fuselage, and empennage. The pilot noted there were no preaccident mechanical problems with the airplane. A weather observation taken at the time of the accident consisted of: Sky conditions and ceiling, 1,500 feet scattered; visibility, 10 statute miles; wind, 320 degrees (magnetic) at 11 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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 60 hours in all; 40 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,907 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 1, 2004
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MCG Mcgrath AK at 4:54 pm
- Destination: BET Bethel AK
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 36, 6,398 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 1°F (-17°C), dew point -6°F (-21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.62 inHg
- Observation at 8:04 pm from BET
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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 ANC05CA054.