Piper PA-18-150 accident near Nikolai, Alaska, March 4, 2008
On March 4, 2008 at about 2:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-18-150, registered N985W, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Nikolai, Alaska. It was an instructional 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 flight instructor's inadequate evaluation of the weather conditions. Contributing to the accident was an inadvertent stall/mush.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 4, 2008 · about 2:30 pm local time · cases in 2008
- Place
- Nikolai, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-150 · all PA-18-150s on the register
- Registration
- N985W · registry record · serial 18-7609
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial certificated flight instructor was providing wilderness flying instruction to a private certificated student pilot. The student pilot said that he and the instructor were in the lead airplane of a flight of three. He said they were departing from a frozen lake, and that the takeoff area was mostly glare ice. The wind was gusting heavily, and the other two airplanes taxied out first. Both airplanes lost control, and spun into the wind. Since the others were having trouble maintaining directional control, the instructor told him to taxi to the center of the lake. He said he suggested taxiing farther down the lake to give them more takeoff length, but the instructor said no. The student pointed the airplane toward the lowest point in the hills surrounding the lake, and applied takeoff power. When the airplane reached flying speed, he pulled in full flaps as instructed. Approaching the hills they encountered gusts and downdrafts, the climb rate declined, and the instructor took the controls. The student asked if he should reduce the flaps, which were full down, and the instructor said no. The instructor turned the airplane to the left to avoid hitting the lodge. The airplane settled into the trees, and collided with a structure, receiving substantial damage to the wings and fuselage.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control in flight during initial climb defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- factor Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Downdraft › Not specified
- factor Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Turbulence › (general) › Not specified
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Identification/recognition › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Weather planning › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Tree(s) › Not specified
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Residence/building › Not specified
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,200 hours in all; 600 in this make and model; 250 in the last 90 days; 75 in the last 30 days; 700 as pilot in command; 180 on instruments
- Last flight review: September 1, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 400 hours in all; 20 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: August 1, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 2008
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Alaska Cub Training Specialist LLC
The flight
- Departed from: Nikolia AK at 2:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 25 knots, gusting 35
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 7,000 ft; a few clouds at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The NTSB has not released the docket for this case yet. The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), is usually released when the investigation is nearly complete, and the list here is refreshed when it appears. Check at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N985W the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N985W on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Piper PA-18 Super Cub 3,620 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Piper 44,842 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B 179 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Accidents and incidents in Alaska 5,932 since 1982 · 825 in the last ten years
- Alaska 9,142 aircraft registered
- Other NTSB records under N985W 1 records · the number may have belonged to another aircraft at the time
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/ANC08LA039.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.