Piper PA-18-150 accident near Tyonek, Alaska, June 7, 2009
On June 7, 2009 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-18-150, registered N82057, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR go-around) near Tyonek, 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.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 7, 2009 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Tyonek, 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
- N82057 · registry record · serial 18-7809120
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The solo private pilot aborted a landing on a beach after a personal cross-country flight. During the landing, the airplane sustained substantial damage when it struck debris and impacted terrain. In a written statement the pilot said that he didn't like the feel of the terrain during the landing, and added power to abort the landing. He said that the airplane struck debris during the aborted landing. The pilot said there were no known mechanical problems with the airplane prior to the accident, and that the propeller and left main landing gear was damaged during the accident. He further stated that he should have looked over the landing area better prior to landing and had a better exit plan.
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
- Collision during takeoff/land during approach (VFR go-around) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Debris/dirt/foreign object › Contributed to outcome
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surfa › (general) › Decision related to condition
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 842 hours in all; 737 in this make and model; 26 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 768 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 18, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,778 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 30, 2008
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Z41 Lake Hood AK at 12:20 pm
- Destination: Tyonek AK
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 5 knots, gusting 10
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: ovct at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°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.
Other NTSB records under N82057 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.