Piper PA-18-160 accident near Wasilla, Alaska, April 28, 2005
On April 28, 2005 at about 3:30 am local time, a Piper PA-18-160, registered N624MW, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wasilla, Alaska (Wasilla 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 selection of an unsuitable landing area, which resulted in a loss of control during the landing roll, and a collision with a ditch. A factor associated with the airplane was a leaking brake assembly and diminished braking efficiency.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 28, 2005 · about 3:30 am local time
- Place
- Wasilla, Alaska · Wasilla · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-160 · all PA-18-160s on the register
- Registration
- N624MW · no longer on the register · serial 18-8739
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot was landing his tundra-tire equipped tailwheel airplane at the conclusion of a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight on a non-maintained dirt overrun of a hard-surfaced runway. During the landing roll, the tires encountered deep ruts and soft dirt, and the pilot stated that he was unable to maintain directional control. He indicated that the right brake felt flat and ineffective, and may have contributed to his difficulty in maintaining control. An aviation mechanic who repaired the airplane after the accident noted that the brake assembly had a slow fluid leak, and the braking action may have been diminished at the time of the accident. The mechanic said he replaced portions of the right brake assembly while repairing the airplane.
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: 1,850 hours in all; 1,800 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,844 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 1, 2005; 62 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PAWS Wasilla AK at 8:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 211° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°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.
Other NTSB records under N624MW 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.