Piper PA-18 accident near Skwentna, Alaska, October 10, 2011
On October 10, 2011, a Piper PA-18, registered N124GS, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Skwentna, 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 inadequate clearance from a tree during an off-airport landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 10, 2011
- Place
- Skwentna, 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 · all PA-18s on the register
- Registration
- N124GS · registry record · serial 5287
- 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, just prior to landing at an off-airport site, he was distracted by sunlight reflecting off a nearby river. As the main landing gear touched down, the right wing hit a tree root, and the rear wing spar sustained substantial damage. The pilot indicated that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane. He stated that the accident could have been prevented had he landed the opposite direction because there were no obstacles on that approach.
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
- Miscellaneous/other during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Light condition › Glare › Contributed to outcome
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Identification/recognition › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,296 hours in all; 1,300 in this make and model; 120 in the last 90 days; 35 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: June 6, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with 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: TKA Talkeetna AK at 6:30 pm
- Destination: Skwentna AK
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 09
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 29.54 inHg
- Observation at 7:57 pm from pasw
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.