Piper PA-18-180 accident near Tok, Alaska, September 17, 2009
On September 17, 2009 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-18-180, registered N874SC, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Tok, 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 an unsuitable landing/takeoff area, resulting in a runway excursion and a nose over during takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 17, 2009 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Tok, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-180 · all PA-18-180s on the register
- Registration
- N874SC · registry record · serial 18-7409112
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he was departing from a rough, 700-foot-long, dirt-covered off-airport site with a load of Caribou meat, on a Title 14, CFR Part 91 personal flight. The pilot said that during the takeoff roll the airplane did not become airborne before reaching the end of the site, and the main wheels struck a pool of water at the departure end. The airplane nosed over, resulting in substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. The pilot said there were no preaccident mechanical problems with the airplane, and noted in his report to the NTSB that the accident might have been avoided if he had weighed the meat before takeoff.
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
- Runway excursion 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 Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Rough terrain › Contributed to outcome
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › (general) › (general) › Capability exceeded
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,600 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 70 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 30 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 12, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 31, 2009
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Tok AK
- Destination: 6K8 Tok AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 700 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Temperature: 45°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.