Piper PA-18 accident near Talkeetna, Alaska, July 2, 2007
On July 2, 2007 at about 1:45 am local time, a Piper PA-18, registered N3195Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Talkeetna, Alaska. 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
A fracture and collapse of the main landing gear. Contributing to the accident was an inadequate annual inspection by other maintenance personnel, and corrosion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 2, 2007 · about 1:45 am local time
- Place
- Talkeetna, Alaska
- 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
- N3195Z · registry record · serial 18-7191
- 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 a tundra tire-equipped airplane on an off-airport grass surface area. As he applied the brakes during the landing roll, the left main landing gear collapsed. The airplane pivoted to the left, and the left wing struck the ground. His inspection of the landing gear revealed that the outboard end of the left main landing gear strut extension was broken through the outer radius of the attaching lug, where it normally would bolt to the axle. In addition, the landing gear safety cable was broken. The airplane was equipped with hydrasorb landing gear shock units, which consist of automotive type oleo struts, combined with light shock cords. Examination of the outboard end of the hydrasorb extension tube revealed a flat fracture surface that was perpendicular to the long axis of the tube. It had extensive evidence of corrosion. The landing gear had been installed since 1977, and the most recent annual inspection of the airplane was about 1 year before the accident.
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: 500 hours in all; 400 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 24 in the last 30 days; 400 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 1, 2006
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 4AK6 Wasilla AK at 7:00 pm
- Destination: Talkeetna AK
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,000 ft; scat at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°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.