Piper PA-18 accident near Skwentna, Alaska, June 22, 2008
On June 22, 2008, a Piper PA-18, registered N5408Y, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Skwentna, Alaska (Tal River Lodge airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the takeoff roll and liftoff, which resulted in a collision with trees and the ground.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 22, 2008
- Place
- Skwentna, Alaska · Tal River Lodge · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18 · all PA-18s on the register
- Registration
- N5408Y · registry record · serial 18-8171
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was departing from a remote airstrip that was about 2,000 feet long, and about 40 feet wide. He indicated that the center of the airstrip was gravel, with 8 inch-high grass along the edges. He said that during the takeoff roll and after the tailwheel came up, the airplane pulled to the right, possibly due to the right main landing gear encountering the grass edge. The airplane lifted off to about 15 feet while drifting to the right, and the right wingtip struck trees that were along the edge of the airstrip.
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 on ground during takeoff
- Runway excursion during takeoff defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during initial climb
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Tree(s) › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 136 hours in all; 121 in this make and model; 19 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 77 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,986 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 4, 2008; 19 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Skwentna AK at 7:20 pm
- Destination: PAMR Anchorage AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 2,000 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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 N5408Y 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.