Piper PA-18 accident near Willow, Alaska, June 21, 2008
On June 21, 2008, a Piper PA-18, registered N91256, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Willow, 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A partial loss of engine power during an aborted landing for an undetermined reason, which resulted in a collision with terrain and subsequent nose over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 21, 2008
- Place
- Willow, 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
- N91256 · registry record · serial 18-8309006
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was planning to land on a gravel bar, and he said that he first made a low pass over the landing area. When he added power to climb, the engine responded without hesitation. On his next approach to the gravel bar, he said that he touched down, but was not satisfied with his placement, and decided to abort the landing. He added engine power to takeoff, but the engine sputtered. The airplane skipped across an area of water and collided with an embankment and trees, about 400 feet from the initial aborted landing spot. The airplane nosed over, and received structural damage to the wings. The airplane and engine were not examined by NTSB or FAA personnel.
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 engine power (partial) during takeoff defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during takeoff
- Nose over/nose down during takeoff
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › (general) › (general) › Malfunction
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › (general) › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 650 hours in all; 45 in this make and model; 45 in the last 90 days; 18 in the last 30 days; 600 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 9, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,063 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 20, 2007; 24 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Palmer AK
- Destination: Willow AK
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; a few clouds
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ANC08LA077.