Piper PA-18-150 accident near Bethel, Alaska, August 31, 2009
On August 31, 2009 at about 1:50 am local time, a Piper PA-18-150, registered N743, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Bethel, Alaska. It was a public-use flight (federal) under public-use (government) rules. 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 excessive use of brakes while landing at an off-airport site.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 31, 2009 · about 1:50 am local time
- Place
- Bethel, 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
- N743 · no longer on the register · serial 18-8109055
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public-use flight (federal) · public-use (government) rules
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was being operated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, in support of a law enforcement mission, as a visual-flight-rules public use flight. The commercial pilot said that he applied the brakes of the tailwheel-equipped airplane aggressively during the landing roll to avoid running off the end of the off-airport landing area. He said that the airplane stopped quickly and nosed down, coming to rest on its nose. He noted that there were no mechanical problems with the airplane prior to the accident. The pilot said that in addition to the left wing tip and leading edge receiving damage, the fuselage and tubular brace above the pilot's seat received substantial damage.
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
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Aircraft capability › Braking capability › Incorrect use/operation
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › (general) › Contributed to outcome
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,727 hours in all; 3,517 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 1, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,650 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 7, 2009
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: United States Department Of Interior
The flight
- Departed from: Bethel AK at 5:15 pm
- Destination: Bethel AK
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 18 knots, gusting 26
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,800 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.07 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from BET, 25 miles away
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.