Piper PA-18-150 accident near Gakona, Alaska, May 10, 2012
On May 10, 2012 at about 2:15 am local time, a Piper PA-18-150, registered N999JV, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Gakona, Alaska. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were 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 decision to take off in variable wind conditions, which resulted in a loss of control and the airplane striking an object after takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 10, 2012 · about 2:15 am local time
- Place
- Gakona, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-150 · all PA-18-150s on the register
- Registration
- N999JV · registry record · serial 1809005
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot departed from a remote, 800-foot-long, gravel-covered airstrip in variable wind conditions. He said that during the takeoff roll, just before liftoff, a gust of wind pushed the airplane to the right. As the airplane became airborne, the pilot felt a "bump," but he noted no control or vibration problems. After an uneventful landing at his destination airport, an examination revealed substantial damage to the lower portion of the airplane's rudder. Further examination revealed that the tailwheel likely hit something during takeoff. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical 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 on ground during takeoff defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during takeoff
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Variable wind › Contributed to outcome
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 12,000 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 10,000 as pilot in command; 4,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 534 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 30, 2011
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Gakona AK at 9:15 pm
- Destination: PAFA Fairbanks AK
- Flight plan: VFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 15 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.48 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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 ANC12CA037.