Piper PA-18A 150 accident near Cordova, Alaska, July 13, 2011
On July 13, 2011 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-18A 150, registered N9255D, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern final) near Cordova, Alaska (Merle K Smith airport). 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain sufficient airspeed during approach, resulting in an aerodynamic stall, and collision with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 13, 2011 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Cordova, Alaska · Merle K Smith · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18A 150 · all PA-18A 150s on the register
- Registration
- N9255D · registry record · serial 18-6548
- 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 was practicing touch-and-go takeoff and landings at his home airport. He reported that during the third landing, his approach was not stable, and he should have gone around. As he extended his approach down the runway, the airplane stalled, the left wing dropped, and the airplane came to rest in the brush on the left side of the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing when it impacted the ground. The pilot stated there were no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies with the airplane.
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 control in flight during approach (VFR pattern final) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 82 hours in all; 25 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 41 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 23, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,043 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 28, 2011
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PACV Cordova AK at 11:30 am
- Destination: PACV Cordova AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 1,899 ft by 30 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft; scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N9255D the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 ANC11CA064.