Piper PA-18A 150 accident near Illiamna, Alaska, July 3, 2012
On July 3, 2012 at about 8:30 am local time, a Piper PA-18A 150, registered N8889D, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Illiamna, Alaska (Iliamna 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate recovery from a bounced landing, which resulted in a loss of control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 3, 2012 · about 8:30 am local time
- Place
- Illiamna, Alaska · Iliamna · 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
- N8889D · registry record · serial 18-6358
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was landing a tailwheel-equipped airplane on a lighted, paved, dry runway at dusk, when he inadvertently bounced the airplane during initial touchdown. He applied remedial control inputs, but he overcorrected, and, upon touching down again, the airplane swerved to the right. He added engine power to abort the landing, but the airplane ground looped to the right and hit a ditch. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing and left elevator. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical problems 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 landing (landing roll) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 664 hours in all; 51 in this make and model; 101 in the last 90 days; 37 in the last 30 days; 480 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 31, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,900 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 6, 2012
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PAIG Igiugig AK at 3:00 am
- Destination: PAIL Illiamna AK
- Runway 07, 5,086 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°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.