Piper PA-18 accident near Aniak, Alaska, September 1, 2006
On September 1, 2006, a Piper PA-18, registered N1858A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Aniak, Alaska. 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 pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions during the takeoff initial climb, which resulted in a loss of control and in-flight collision with terrain. A factor contributing to the accident was a windshear.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 1, 2006
- Place
- Aniak, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18 · all PA-18s on the register
- Registration
- N1858A · registry record · serial 18-1686
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial certificated pilot reported that he was departing a remote airstrip toward the north on a Title 14, CFR Part 91, cross-country personal flight. The pilot said that the airplane lifted off to about 20 feet, and then encountered low level windshear that moved the airplane to the right, into high vegetation. The airplane received structural damage to the left wing lift strut and the right wing. The pilot indicated that the wind was from the north at 15 knots, with gusts to 30 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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 7,000 hours in all; 120 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 70 in the last 30 days; 6,900 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Aniak AK
- Destination: PANI Aniak AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 1,500 ft by 25 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 15 knots, gusting 30
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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 N1858A 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.