Piper PA-18-150 accident near Fairbanks, Alaska, February 27, 2009
On February 27, 2009 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-18-150, registered N3578Z, was substantially damaged in an accident during taxi near Fairbanks, 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
The pilot's selection of unsuitable terrain for landing, which resulted in the main landing gear collapsing during taxi.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 27, 2009 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Fairbanks, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-150 · all PA-18-150s on the register
- Registration
- N3578Z · registry record · serial 18-7368
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot said he landed the ski-equipped airplane on a snow-covered area, but due to the rough terrain the left main landing gear collapsed during taxi. An inspection of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed damage to the left main landing gear attachment to the fuselage that required reinforcement of the fuselage, and replacement of the attachment. The pilot said there were no known mechanical problems with the airplane prior to the accident. In a written statement to the NTSB, the pilot said he should have chosen a better operating area.
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
- Landing gear collapse during taxi defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft structures › Fuselage › Gear attach fittings (on fus) › Failure
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Rough terrain › Decision related to condition
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 6,000 hours in all; 5,000 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 3,800 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Fairbanks AK
- Destination: Fairbanks AK
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds; scat
- Temperature: 19°F (-7°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.