Piper PA-18-150 accident near Anchorage, Alaska, October 8, 2004
On October 8, 2004 at about 1:30 am local time, a Piper PA-18-150, registered N5760D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Anchorage, Alaska (Merrill Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The inadequate and unapproved design of the main landing gear assembly by the manufacturer, which resulted in a failure of the main landing gear during landing, and structural damage to the airplane. A factor in the accident was the pilot's misjudged flare.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 8, 2004 · about 1:30 am local time
- Place
- Anchorage, Alaska · Merrill Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-150 · all PA-18-150s on the register
- Registration
- N5760D · registry record · serial 18-5262
- 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 made a hard landing on a paved runway in his tail wheel and tundra tire equipped airplane, and that the left main landing gear assembly subsequently collapsed. The airplane sustained structural damage to the left wing when it struck the runway. An inspection of the main landing gear (MLG) assembly by the NTSB investigator-in-charge and FAA certification engineers, disclosed that the MLG was not an approved component, although it had been stamped "PMA" for Primary Manufacturing Authority, indicating it was an approved part. Further research and analysis of the gear assembly revealed that it had fractured at the shock strut attachment lugs, and that the lugs were approximately one-half strength of the original factory equipment. The MLG assembly has been available for several years, and may be retro-fitted to the entire Piper Cub series airplanes. The FAA aircraft certification branch and the manufacturer are presently conducting a review of the design and have indicated that a manufacturer's Service Bulletin will be published offering a strengthened version of the MLG, and that the FAA will issue either a Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin, or an Airworthiness Directive.
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: 567 hours in all; 228 in this make and model; 61 in the last 90 days; 16 in the last 30 days; 567 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 16, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,735 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 2004; 84 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ENA Kenai AK at 7:10 pm
- Destination: MRI Anchorage AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 33, 2,640 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,500 ft; scat at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.64 inHg
- Observation at 9:06 pm from PAMR
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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 N5760D 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.